Shipbuilding Jobs in Newport News: Navy Contractor Recruits Lincoln Tech Students
Hands-on career training in welding and collision repair has led to exciting opportunities for several recent Lincoln Tech graduates. And those opportunities may not be in a field they would have originally considered when they began their programs. With shipbuilding jobs in Newport News, Virginia on the rise*, the U.S. Navy’s largest shipbuilder, Huntington Ingalls, sent recruiters to Lincoln Tech’s Nashville campus this spring. The Huntington Ingalls team interviewed more than a dozen students who were nearing graduation, and presented eight of them with on-the-spot job offers.
Newport News Shipbuilding Yards Are the Nation’s Largest
The facilities of Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, cover more than 550 acres in Newport News, Virginia. The Newport News-Norfolk metropolis will be home to newly-hired Lincoln Tech graduates as they take their first steps on new career paths. Both welding and collision repair require specific hands-on skills with equipment that plays a major role in the shipbuilding process. Lincoln Tech’s Nashville campus, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2019, is one of the nation’s leading destinations for students seeking training in these growing fields.
From battleships to aircraft carriers, these naval vessels are built by teams of specialists numbering in the thousands. Welders and collision repair specialists, who have the skills to measure, align, and join components made of steel and other materials, are among the most important members of these teams.
It’s estimated that the U.S. shipbuilding industry will employ more than 100,000 people in 2020. This is an often-overlooked field of employment for skilled professionals like welders and collision repair technicians. Overall, the country is projected to need more than 450,000 welders and more than 170,000 collision repair specialists by 2026**. Where these statistics overlap, you’ll find a fascinating, exciting world of career opportunities in shipbuilding. For a select group of Lincoln Tech graduates, that new world resides in Newport News, Virginia. Put your potential to work and start training for a career with a range of possibilities even greater than you might have imagined.
* https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/industry/aerospace-defense/news/va-newport-news-shipbuilding-invest-1b-hire-7000-14156
** Source: careeronestop.org for the years 2016-2026.