Luke has been part of ASC’s story for two decades, starting as an apprentice in 2005, he’s now a seasoned Boat Manager.
‘I grew up in Kalgoorlie’, Luke begins, ‘a remote Western Australian mining town where my family had moved during the boom. I did most of my schooling there before relocating back to Adelaide. After high school, I had a choice to make – go to uni to do mechanical engineering, or take up an apprenticeship. I chose to become an apprentice at ASC’.
It was a decision that would shape the next 20 years of his life.
Luke’s apprentice intake was small – just 8-10 trainees across all trades, unlike today’s intakes which are significantly bigger.
‘We were a tight-knit group’, he recalls. ‘Back then, ASC was a different place. The blue-collar workforce had been here for years, and stepping into the blue-collar environment straight from school was a real eye-opener.’
He remembers the early days vividly. ‘There was a whole new language to learn – acronyms, shorthand, submarine terminology. It was like stepping into another world. But that’s what made it exciting. And we were getting paid to study, so that was fantastic for kids straight out of school’.
Luke’s apprenticeship gave him a broad overview of ASC’s operations, from mechanical trade teams to detailed design and planning. ‘You got a taste of everything – the weld school, the pipe shop’, he says. ‘And in your final year, you’d settle into the team you’d likely join full-time’.
For Luke, that was the hydraulics team, where he became leading hand under the team supervisor. From there, his career started its upward trajectory.
In 2009, Luke was honoured as the inaugural winner of the Alan Saunders Memorial Apprentice of the Year Award. The award recognised his outstanding performance, dedication, and potential among ASC’s apprentices at the time. For Luke, it was a proud moment that reaffirmed his commitment to excellence and his future at ASC.
His work took him across the globe – from Sweden to Pearl Harbor.
‘I went to RIMPAC (short for ‘Rim of the Pacific’, the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise) in Pearl Harbor one year, which was a great experience’.
‘I also was lucky enough to spend time doing sea trials with the Navy, including several boat transfers in rough weather – not for the faint of heart!’
‘While I don’t get seasick, I still prefer sustaining submarines, rather than sailing in them.’
Luke has spent the past five years as a Boat Manager – a role he describes as ‘the central hub of everything that happens on a submarine’.
It’s a role that demands precision, dedication, resilience, and leadership – but there’s also a huge amount of satisfaction when key milestones are achieved.
Despite the pressure, Luke finds immense satisfaction in the Boat Manager role. When asked about his greatest achievement at ASC, he cites the successful completion of a full-cycle docking as the pinnacle.
‘The most rewarding part is giving a quality product back to the people who’ll be taking it to sea. A successful full cycle docking is the result of a great team effort. The sense of achievement is phenomenal; there’s nothing more gratifying. You build such great relationships with the crew and they’re so appreciative of the work. And there’s also a great sense of relief for the Boat Manager when the sub gets handed back to the Navy!’
Luke is excited about what’s next at ASC. He believes that there’s no better job opportunity for young Australians than the work being done at ASC now and into the future.
‘I think there will be work here for my children’s grandchildren to do’.
‘If you’re keen to learn and better yourself, ASC has all the right foundations to allow you to take whatever path you choose.’
Luke’s story is one of grit, growth, and gratitude. From apprentice to boat manager, he’s built a career that reflects the very best of ASC—technical excellence, operational commitment, and a deep sense of purpose.