Page 36: of Marine News Magazine (July 2012)

HUNTINGTON -INGALLS REQUIRES PLENTY OF SKILLED LABORPascagoula, Miss.-based John Lotshaw directs Operations Workforce Training and Development at Huntington- Ingalls Industries (HII). ?The vessels we build are pretty large, and we need lots of skilled labor ? welders, pipe  tters, and carpenters ? but they?re very dif cult to  nd,? he said, adding, ?Most people with strong skills already have jobs. All shipbuilders, regardless of where they are in the country, face these challenges. Most companies train their own people.? HII designs, builds and maintains nuclear and non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and provides services for military ships. Business divisions include Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia and Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi, Louisiana and California. The  rm has nearly 38,000 employees. Lotshaw said ?we base our training on craft skills sets. These de ned skill sets, or competencies, allow for a structured approach to the rest of training ? to the development of New construction of a 266-ft. PSV requires many skills and an attention to safe ops.Inset: Vocational technical students touring a Bollinger Shipyards facility in Louisiana. (Courtesy of Bollinger Shipyards) Courtesy Tidewater, Inc. With skilled craftsmen in short supply, shipbuilders faced with an aging workforce turn to internal training programs. Because fewer young people are entering shipbuilding out of high school, good jobs for shipÞ tters and welders go begging. Industry leaders say it is time to spread the word about these opportunities. By Susan Buchanan Train Me! Train Me! Shipbuilders Train to Fill Craft Jobs July 201236 MN