STEM scholarships to propel nuclear submarine program

Defence has launched the $15.8 million Propel: Australian Submarine Scholarship program, an initiative to offer up to 3,000 scholarships to students studying priority STEM subject at Australian universities.

The Propel program is designed to support the development of Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine workforce.Over its three‑year rollout, the program will provide financial support as well as opportunities to learn from some of Australia’s most accomplished scientists and engineers, says Defence in a media release. More than 800 students nationwide are already taking part as members of the inaugural cohort.

“In order to successfully deliver Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program, we need to ensure we are developing the skills needed to build and sustain them,” said Richard Marles, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. “The Propel scholarship program will help to strengthen our future defence workforce – helping to deliver the capabilities that will keep our nation safe and support a future made in Australia.”

Delivered through a partnership between the Australian Submarine Agency and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE), Propel will help grow the highly skilled workforce needed to deliver and sustain Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines, a key capability under the AUKUS partnership, says Defence.

Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program will create around 20,000 highly skilled jobs nationwide over the coming decades, says Defence. Propel will help ensure the talent pipeline is ready to meet this demand.

The scholarships align with Defence’s broader investments to increase the pipeline of STEM‑qualified Australians for the nuclear‑powered submarine enterprise, including through the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Student Pathways program for additional Commonwealth Supported Places, the Australian Submarine Agency Nuclear Graduate Program, and national workforce development initiatives as part of the Skills and Training Academy, the Departmentadds.

ATSE has a history of delivering successful scholarship programs with connections to academia, industry and government, including Defence, to provide the best educational and career outcomes for scholarship recipients.