Shipfitter Trainee Or Certification - For 2026 High School Seniors Or Graduates - Sign-On Bonus

Ingalls Shipbuilding • Newport News, VA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This Job Listing is for recent or upcoming 2026 High School Graduates. Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII, is offering a $500 sign-on bonus to Trade Trainee hires. In addition, Newport News Shipbuilding is offering $500 in relocation bonus to Trade Trainee new hires that live 50 miles or greater from Newport News, VA. Job seekers who apply are eligible for the sign-on bonus and relocation bonus. Newport News Shipbuilding offers competitive pay, weekly paychecks, paid time off, paid holidays, medical benefits including an on-site health center, 401K company match, employee discounts, and more. The sign-on bonus is for external new hires. Current Newport News Shipbuilding employees are ineligible for the sign-on bonus. 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. To learn more about the Marine Trades Training (MTT) programs and how the process works, please visit: https://hii.com/careers/nns-marine-trades-trainee-programs/ 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. Watch this video to learn more: https://youtu.be/D5y0gmgXUL4?si=FgeceQ67KZNlGBe7

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 from a high school vocational program, community college, trade school, technical college, apprentice program, post–secondary institution, or military equivalent.
• 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.

Benefits

• Newport News Shipbuilding offers competitive pay, weekly paychecks, paid time off, paid holidays, medical benefits including an on-site health center, 401K company match, employee discounts, and more.
• We offer comprehensive benefits including: 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, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED