NEWPORT NEWS—HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) recently signed a total of 32 graduating high school seniors for careers in shipbuilding. The event took place at the New Horizons Regional Education Center (NHREC) Good Life Solution Program’s Career Selection Day. Bringing in new employees is imperative for the shipyard when it comes to executing on order for mission-critical aircraft carriers and submarines in service of the U.S. Navy and the nation.
Twenty of the students who signed on will begin full-time positions within the shipyard and the other 12 will attend The Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School, which will prepare them for a career in shipbuilding. The Apprentice School is funded by HII to train and develop the next generation of shipbuilders. It offers four- to eight-year tuition-free apprenticeships in 19 trades and eight options advanced programs, including accredited undergraduate degrees in engineering.
“Each year, this program grows and is a clear demonstration that there is more than one path to success,” said Xavier Beale, NNS vice president of human resources and trades, who attended the event. “I’m honored to welcome these students into our shipbuilding family as they embark upon a remarkable journey. They will continue to develop their talents and grow their careers with us—all while serving our nation and building freedom.”
Newport News Shipbuilding plans to hire approximately 2,500 skill trade positions this year to meet the shipbuilding needs of the Navy. The shipyard anticipates hiring nearly 19,000 people within the next decade as it fulfills orders from the U.S. Navy.
The Good Life Solution Program is a collection of partnerships between NHREC and local employers looking to improve the way they recruit, hire, train, and retain entry-level hires out of high school. The program has a one-year retention rate of 80 percent.