PASCAGOULA, Miss., May 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HII’s (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division hosted a signing day ceremony Thursday for the 2023 graduates of its Shipbuilder Academy program. Successfully completing the Academy’s one-year specialized career technical education program, 23 high school seniors were offered full-time positions at Ingalls Shipbuilding where they will begin their careers after as shipbuilders.
“Today we celebrate the students who have committed to a technical career at Ingalls Shipbuilding and will build upon our 85-year legacy of building the most mission-ready ships for our country,” Ingalls Shipbuilding Vice President of Operations Donny Dorsey said. “Their decision to pursue hands-on training and technical skills while in high school is a testament to their innovative spirit and we applaud their dedication to learning the critical skills needed to have a rewarding career in their chosen trade.”
During the ceremony, among parents and special guests, the high school seniors were honored much like high school athletes announcing an intended college. Each student received and signed a contingent offer of employment highlighting their new position at the shipyard. Upon their high school graduation, these students will join the Ingalls workforce as shipbuilders.
The Ingalls Shipbuilder Academy established in 2016 with a mission to provide enrolled students with a strong foundation in the maritime industry and to fill shipbuilding positions at Ingalls. The Jackson County program, now entering its eighth year, expanded to Harrison County in 2019 and is entering into its fifth year. Shipbuilder Academy enrolls students from 13 different high schools along the Gulf Coast including: Biloxi, Gulfport, West Harrison, Long Beach, Pass Christian, Pascagoula, Gautier, Moss Point, East Central, Vancleave, St. Martin, Ocean Springs and Alma Bryant. So far 355 students have successfully completed the program and obtained National Center for Construction Education and Research certifications.
Employing more than 11,000 people, Ingalls Shipbuilding is the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi and a major contributor to the economic growth of Alabama. For 85 years, Ingalls Shipbuilding has designed, built and maintained amphibious ships, destroyers, and cutters for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. Our shipbuilders are honored to build tomorrow’s fleet today.
For more information about a career at Ingalls Shipbuilding, visit hii.com/careers
