SHIPFITTER TRAINEE - COMPLETE 3 WEEKS OF FREE TRADES TRAINING OR HAVE A CURRENT CERTIFICATION 7-3:30

Huntington Ingalls • Newport News, VA

128d

About The Position

This position is for job seekers with no trades experience willing to complete three weeks of unpaid training in Shipfitting or for job seekers with a certificate in a related trades field. Newport News Shipbuilding has partnered with the Virginia Ship Repair Association and local Virginia community colleges and maritime training facilities to offer several course-to-hire Marine Trades Training (MTT) programs for individuals interested in learning a trade and working full-time for Newport News Shipbuilding. Courses are offered once a month with 6-15 students per class. The Shipfitter Trainee program is offered at Camp Community College (Suffolk, VA), Virginia Peninsula Community College (Hampton, VA), or Tidewater Community College (Portsmouth, VA). Each (UNPAID) program is 3-weeks (120 hours), 7:00am – 3:30pm (Monday thru Friday). Candidates who have received and provide a certificate or diploma in Shipfitting or directly related field are encouraged to apply and may be eligible to waive the completion of the trainee program. Directly related fields include Welding (SMAW, GMAW), Plasma Cutting and/or Oxy-Fuel Cutting, Construction Maintenance, Carpentry, Auto Body, and/or Sheet Metal Fabrication. Shipfitters, often referred to as "carpenters" of shipbuilding or "artists of steel" are essential for interpreting blueprints and plans to fabricate and assemble the steel structures of aircraft carriers and submarines. They use a variety of tools to measure, cut, grind, fit, align, and tack weld components, ranging from small parts to large sub-assemblies and super lifts that form the ship’s structural body. In addition to fabricating external structures, shipfitters construct all interior components, including hatches, doors, and bulkheads completing the steel work on the vessel. At NNS, shipfitters undergo training and qualification at the shipyard’s state of the art welding school. Their skills will be applied in multiple locations across the shipyard including shops, concrete and metal structures, dry docks, and aboard ships in support of new construction, ship repair, and overhaul. Working at Newport News Shipbuilding often involves performing tasks in various weather conditions, at extreme heights on scaffolding, ladders, or elevated platforms and in small, confined spaces such as tanks, compartments, or voids in a ship. These environments require a strong focus on safety, precision, and adaptability, as well as physical agility and comfort working in challenging conditions.

Requirements

• Must be able to pass a 3-week (UNPAID) program (120 hours), 7:00am – 3:30pm (Monday – Friday) OR present one or more certificates of completion or diploma in Shipfitting or a directly related field.
• Must be willing to undergo a background investigation and drug screen.
• Must be able to kneel, squat, crawl, bend, stoop, and climb on a daily basis.
• Must be able to lift at least 40 pounds.
• Must be able to perform overhead work.
• Must be able to work overtime as needed.
• Must be able to be clean shaven to wear a respirator.
• Must be able to perform work outdoors, year-round, in all weather conditions.
• Must be able to work at extreme heights.
• Must be able to work in small, tight, confined spaces.
• Must be willing to work any shift.

Nice To Haves

• High school graduate or equivalent preferred.

Responsibilities

• Complete a 3-week (UNPAID) training program in Shipfitting or present a certificate in a related field.
• Interpret blueprints and plans to fabricate and assemble steel structures.
• Use tools to measure, cut, grind, fit, align, and tack weld components.
• Construct external structures and interior components of ships.
• Work in various locations including shops, dry docks, and aboard ships.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental and vision plan choices.
• On-site health centers.
• Tele-medicine.
• Wellness resources.
• Employee assistance programs.
• Savings plan options (401K).
• Financial education and planning tools.
• Life insurance.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts.
• Early childhood and post-secondary education scholarships.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees