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provided an instructor or other staff for these programs in their early phases. And when asked, we work with those schools to develop curriculum and standards that will help their graduates be competitive for our jobs.? Though it is looking for workers, HII has also had layoffs. The company owns Avondale Shipyard on the Westbank of Greater New Orleans. More than 1,500 workers, or more than a third of the Avondale staff, have lost their jobs in recent years. HII spokesman Bill Glenn said all of HII?s Gulf Coast shipbuilding will be consolidated in Mississippi by the end of 2013. ?This very dif cult decision was made to better align our industrial footprint with the Navy?s 30-year plan for shipbuilding and to increase ef ciencies that will make our future ships more affordable,? he said. Nevertheless, HII is working with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal?s administration to  nd other uses for the Avondale facility. TRAINING AT BOLLINGER COVERS ITS ENTIRE BUSINESSAt Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. in Lockport, La., ?We provide training for a wide variety of levels of employees starting with new hires, all the way up to the executives,? said Robert Socha, executive vice president of sales and marketing. The company?s Repair/Conversion, New Construction and ancillary services groups all participate in training programs. Over one hundred areas of training at Bollinger range from respiratory protection, fatigue and  re prevention to overhead crane awareness, hazardous waste handling, oil spills and ethics. The company using its own trainers, along with third- party organizations, for staff development. ?Our training programs cover every aspect of our business, and include reminders to our employees about issues they encounter away from work, such as using cell phones when driving,? Socha said. Bollinger Shipyards is a leading builder of ocean-going double-hull barges, offshore oil eld support vessels, fast military patrol boats, tug boats, rigs, lift boats, push boats and barges. The company operates 10 shipyards between New Orleans and Houston. In fact, Bollinger has the largest vessel-repair operation along the Gulf of Mexico with 28 dry-docks in Louisiana and Texas. Skill enhancement and cross training make the company more versatile, Socha said. ?The goal of our training programs is to increase employees? skills and continue serving our customers with quality employees, so that Bollinger maintains current obligations and wins new jobs,? he said. Continuous staff improvement is key to making sure customers are satis ed. Bollinger employees have participated in training programs sponsored by the Louisiana State Incumbent Worker Training Program, the National Shipbuilding Research Program and Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium. ?Programs at each of these organizations provide valuable, industry-speci c expertise, curriculum development and knowledge sharing, and contribute to our ability to maintain a highly skilled workforce,? Socha said. Notably, and with the help of grants from the Louisiana State Incumbent Worker Training Program and because of its commitment to safety, environmental and skills training, Bollinger was named the Safest Shipyard in America by the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) for the last six years in a row. Bollinger?s current headcount is 2,100 employees, and all are involved in shipbuilding.Huntington Ingalls Industries training Instructor Calvin Johnson (left), Samuel Avina (center) and Shawn Shoemaker in Pas- cagoula. Newly hired craft personnel are evaluated prior to joining HII?s work force. Photo by Huntington Ingalls Industries 38 MNJuly 2012