The $35 billion future frigates program will accelerate South Australia's efforts to generate highly-skilled jobs, a university leader says.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was in Adelaide on Friday to announce BAE Systems had won the bid to build the nine submarine-hunting ships.
Flinders University vice-chancellor Colin Stirling said the institution looked forward to working with the company and its partners to help train the shipbuilding workforce of the future.
He said the program promised to open up hundreds of new opportunities for graduates from both university and vocational education sectors.
"Projects like this will greatly accelerate South Australia's efforts to generate highly-skilled jobs and sophisticated manufacturing companies," Professor Stirling said.
"We are committed to working with BAE to help build the skills and capability base necessary to ensure that Australia is able to fully leverage the employment and industry dividends that will flow from the Future Frigate project."
The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union said the decision to build the frigates in Adelaide, using Australian steel and maximising local manufacturing was important to secure shipbuilding jobs.
"Transitioning the existing shipbuilding jobs to future projects is an important consideration the government must now urgently address," Assistant National Secretary Glenn Thompson said.
"Too many skilled jobs have gone and some of these workers will have been lost to the industry at a time when Australian shipbuilding needs them most."
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said the state was now unquestionably the centre of naval shipbuilding in Australia.
"This $35 billion program will deliver unprecedented economic benefit to the South Australian economy, with over 100 businesses already pre-qualifying with BAE to be part of the project," he said.
"The frigate project is poised to deliver 1500 direct local jobs, in addition to the 600 jobs needed for the redevelopment of the Osborne South shipyards and opportunities through the supply chain."
