Australian welders and fabricators are a step closer to qualifying for AUKUS defence work, with Weld Australia signing both a Memorandum of Understanding and an Agency Agreement with the American Welding Society (AWS), as reported by Mirage News.

The deal names Weld Australia as AWS’s preferred Australian partner for AUKUS, defence and shipbuilding opportunities. It sets up a framework covering workforce development, training pathways, certification, engineering support, technical standards, qualification alignment and industry engagement, everything trades need to plug into a defence supply chain.

Weld Australia CEO Geoff Crittenden said the program is bigger than most people realise. “AUKUS is often described as a submarine program, but for Australian industry it is much bigger than that,” he said. “It is a whole-of-nation capability uplift across welding, engineering, inspection, training, certification, advanced manufacturing and supply chain resilience.” AWS Executive Director and CEO Carey Chen called the agreement “an important step in expanding access to world-class welding education worldwide.”

The numbers are substantial. The Federal Government committed $480 million to the naval shipbuilding and submarine construction workforce in March 2025, centred on a Skills and Training Academy at Osborne in South Australia. More than 60 Australian businesses are working through the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification (DIVQ) Program to enter the Virginia Class submarine supply chain, according to Manufacturers’ Monthly. Five companies picked up Newport News Shipbuilding supplier ID numbers at the Sea Air Space 2025 conference alone.

Founded in 1919, AWS is one of the most widely recognised welding standards bodies in the world. AWS-aligned credentials could become a ticket into what’s shaping up to be the largest sovereign industrial build-up in a generation. Qualification alignment between Australian and US welding standards is a stated priority of the deal, it determines directly how welders get assessed and certified when competing for defence contracts.

With AUKUS driving sustained demand across welding, fabrication and inspection work, tradies who get ahead of the certification curve will be better placed when contract work starts flowing. The Weld Australia, AWS partnership is the first formal structure to make that pathway available at scale.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Weld Australia and AWS deal mean for welders?

The deal names Weld Australia as AWS’s preferred Australian partner for AUKUS, defence and shipbuilding work. It creates pathways for Australian welders to gain US-aligned certifications, which matter directly for how they get assessed when competing for defence contracts.

How much is the government spending on the AUKUS workforce?

The Federal Government committed $480 million to the naval shipbuilding and submarine construction workforce in March 2025, centred on a Skills and Training Academy at Osborne in South Australia.

How many Australian businesses are already targeting the submarine supply chain?

More than 60 Australian businesses are working through the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification Program to enter the Virginia Class submarine supply chain, according to Manufacturers’ Monthly. Five companies received Newport News Shipbuilding supplier ID numbers at the Sea Air Space 2025 conference alone.

Sourced from Mirage News, Manufacturers’ Monthly. Original article.