The federal government's new naval shipbuilding college will be operated by two companies in a joint venture arrangement, but there's no start date in sight.
Kellogg Brown & Root and Huntington Ingalls Industries are the successful bidders.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said the two companies have formed the Naval Shipbuilding Institute, bringing together 200 years of experience in shipbuilding education.
Mr Pyne said the college will collaborate with industry and the education sector to ensure Australia can increase the size and skill level of the naval shipbuilding and sustainment workforce.
Construction of 12 new frigates will start in Adelaide in 2020 while work on the French-designed submarines is expected to begin in South Australia in 2022.
More than 25,000 personnel will be needed directly or indirectly for the government's $90 billion commitment to a continuous shipbuilding program, he said.
Mr Pyne said the naval shipbuilding workforce in Australia is likely to grow to around 5200 workers by the mid-2020s.
Federal Labor seized on the lack of start date for the college pointing out Mr Pyne had previously signalled it would begin January 1, 2018.
"The Liberal government today announced that they would continue missing their own deadline to get their naval shipbuilding college off the ground," opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles said.
