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Trade Support Route

Trade & Support Route

Cost: $0⇔$21,000
Pay: $40,000 ⇔ $150,000

Includes Benefits (Depending upon which path you take!)

Do you like solving problems and working with your hands? A Digital Shipbuilding Career in the Trades might just be your dream job. There are jobs in local shipyards, repair yards and in the local marine industry. Your job could be as a welder, machinist, electrician, or pipefitter. Check out these links to learn about these exciting jobs. You can find your dream job in the trades and supporting the trades through multiple pathways, including enrolling in one of the shipbuilding apprentice programs, going to community college, or entering the job market into a shipyard or industry job right after high school.

  • Pipefitter
  • Machinist
  • Electrician
  • Welder
0-5 YEARS Apprentice Programs Apprentice Skilled Trade Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Apprentice Programs

Apprentice Programs

Cost: $250 Application fee
Pay: $14-$19/hr

Includes Benefits

There are four apprenticeship programs in the Norfolk area; The Apprentice School (Newport News Shipyard), Norfolk Naval Shipyard Apprenticeship Program, BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair Apprenticeship Program, Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc.’s Apprenticeship Program. Check out the following links to learn more about these programs.

  • The Apprenticeship School
  • Norfolk Naval Shipyard Apprenticeship Program
  • BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair Apprenticeship Program
  • Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc.’s Apprenticeship Program
0-5 YEARS Apprentice Programs Apprentice Skilled Trade Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Apprentice

Apprentice

Cost: $0
Pay: $40,000 ⇔$66,0000

Includes Benefits

Apprentice Programs are typically 4-5 years. Students graduating from the Apprentice School receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship and students graduating from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard Apprenticeship Program are converted to a journeyman of their trade.

  • The Apprenticeship School (Newport News Shipyard)
  • Norfolk Naval Shipyard Apprenticeship Program
  • BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair Apprenticeship Program
  • Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc.’s Apprenticeship Program
0-5 YEARS Apprentice 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Apprentice Programs Skilled Trade Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Skilled Trade

Skilled Trade

Cost: $0
Pay: $55,750 ⇔ $67,500

Includes Benefits (Depending upon which path you take!)

5-15 years: Graduates of apprenticeship programs can enter into job such as Marine Welder, Deck Electrician, and Pipefitter. Graduates on average will spend the next 5-15 years perfecting their craft within this trade.

0-5 YEARS Skilled Trade 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Apprentice Programs Apprentice Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Management

Management

Cost: $0
Pay: $55,000 to $110,000

Includes Benefits

With a management route, individuals end up progressing into titles of Foreman, construction supervisor, and superintendent.

  • Huntington Ingalls Foreman Hiring
0-5 YEARS Management 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Apprentice Apprentice Programs Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Skilled Trade
Specialist

Specialist

Cost: $0
Pay: $63,500⇔ $72,000

Includes Benefits

Marine Welder: After completion of Welding School, you will use a wide range of welding filer metals and welding processes to perform structural and/or pipe welds in all phases of ship construction.

Deck electricians: Largely responsible for the installation, repair, overhaul, and operational testing of the electrical systems aboard the ship. Electricians can be working on one of the many electrical systems aboard the ship including lighting, power distribution, communication or navigation. Electricians read and interpret complex electrical and electronic schematics.

Pipefitters: Responsible ofr installing complex piping systems on the ship and in the shop. As a pipefitter you will learn to read blueprints, fabricate, install, inspect and test the many piping systems aboard a ship or submarine.

  • HII Skilled Craftsmen Recruitment Video
0-5 YEARS Specialist 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Apprentice Apprentice Programs General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Skilled Trade Management
General Foreman

General Foreman / Superintendent

Cost: $0⇔$21,000
Pay: $75,000 to $150,000

Includes Benefits

A Foreman leads diverse teams of various skilled trade members to fulfill and execute specific time sensitive projects through overseeing all efforts and managing the work requirements for said project. Construction supervisor and superintendent have similar responsibilities but also may include development of workflow strategies, allocation of materials, purchase orders, be responsible for inspections, safety risks, etc.

  • Huntington Ingalls Foreman Hiring
0-5 YEARS General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Apprentice Programs Apprentice Skilled Trade Management Specialist Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College

Community College Pre-Hire

Cost: $250 tuition fee (fee is reimbursed if the student/candidate is hired by Newport News Shipbuilding) + Community College Tuition
Pay: $0

You can enter shipyard trainee programs with a High School Diploma or GED. These trainee programs are a joint partnership between Newport News Shipbuilding and community colleges in the Norfolk/Newport News area. Possilbe trainee positions include a Marine Welder Trainee and Deck Electrician Trainee.

  • Marine Skills Trades Training Program Video
0-5 YEARS 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Community College Pre-Hire Apprentice Programs Apprentice Skilled Trade Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Entry Support Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Entry Support

Entry Support

Cost: Previous Cost of Community College
Pay: $37,000 ⬄ $51,000

Includes Benefits

A entry support team member has many titles, you could be a specification writer in which your responsibilities will be to help the team in preparing engineering documentation, collecting and allocating data, maintain customer drawings and help contribute and generate procedures for the various projects requirements. Other titles fall within logistics support in which you are helping facilitate documentation in logistics in and around purchases, material movement, making sure the right equipment is ready for the project, and importantly a key asset within the team in preparing for project build and project life cycle.

0-5 YEARS 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Entry Support Apprentice Programs Apprentice Skilled Trade Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College Pre-Hire Experienced Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Experienced Support

Experienced Support

Cost: Previous Cost of Community College
Pay: $46,000 ⬄ $67,000

Includes Benefits

Experience support members take on more responsibility and in most cases oversee a small group of other support members. Works directly with and advises management as well as fulfills schedule requirements and all general interdepartmental activity.

0-5 YEARS 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Experienced Support Apprentice Programs Apprentice Skilled Trade Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Management General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Management 2

Management

Cost: Previous Cost of Community College
Pay: $55,000 ⬄ $70,000

Includes Benefits

With a management route, individuals end up progressing into titles of Foreman, construction supervisor, and superintendent.

  • Huntington Ingalls Foreman Hiring
0-5 YEARS 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS Management Apprentice Programs Apprentice Skilled Trade Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
General Foreman 2

General Foreman / Superintendent

Cost: Previous Cost of Community College
Pay: $60,000 ⬄ $150,000

Includes Benefits

A Foreman leads diverse teams of various skilled trade members to fulfill and execute specific time sensitive projects through overseeing all efforts and managing the work requirements for said project. Construction supervisor and superintendent have similar responsibilities but also may include development of workflow strategies, allocation of materials, purchase orders, be responsible for inspections, safety risks, etc.

  • Huntington Ingalls Foreman Hiring
0-5 YEARS 5-15 YEARS 15+ YEARS General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Apprentice Programs Apprentice Skilled Trade Management Specialist General Foreman, Superinten-
dant
Community College Pre-Hire Entry Support Experienced Support Management
Trade & Support Route

The Digital Shipbuilding initiative is supported with funding from the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund (GO Virginia), as a partnership of industry, government and academic institutes working to expand the region’s influence in the modernization of this trade and meet the needs of this industry. It supports economic growth through technology assistance, internships, salary subsidies and outreach.

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