National Naval Shipbuilding Pipeline Scholarships awarded

Thirty-five students studying at two universities across Australia have been awarded National Naval Shipbuilding Pipeline Scholarships, which aim to strengthen the pool of future engineering talent available for the National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise. At an online event, 20 students from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and 15 students from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) were welcomed into the scholarship program by the Naval Shipbuilding College (NSC) and the Department of Defence. The NSC’s chief executive, Ian Irving, said “the NSC in conjunction with industry is leading the establishment and ongoing development of a highly skilled Australian shipbuilding workforce so industry has a highly effective workforce with the required skills, in the right locations, when they need them. The engineering degrees the students are undertaking, supported by the Defence funded pipeline scholarship, prepare them for critical roles within the shipbuilding enterprise, and will provide opportunities to secure meaningful careers within the sector,” he said. Recipients are studying in critical engineering disciplines required in the shipbuilding enterprise, including computer and software systems, mechatronics, mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering. The scholarship covers the costs of the student’s third and fourth years of study, assists with the purchase of educational materials, and connects students with 12-week paid placements across the enterprise. The scholarship also aims to support and encourage more women to enter the engineering field and provides a meaningful step toward strengthening gender equity in the Defence Industry. Women currently represent only 16 per cent of Australia’s STEM skilled workforce. Applications for the 2021 National Naval Shipbuilding Pipeline Scholarship are now open for second-year students via the QUT website and RMIT website. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Director of Sales Graham Joss at [email protected]