Page 44: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2022)

COVER STORY FINCANTIERI MARINE GROUP

O Once the new ship lift t i is operational in late 2 2022, the side launch w will be a thing of the p past @ Fincantieri

MM Marinette Marine.

All images courtesy Fincantieri Marine Group gives us a lot of advantages, particularly is manpower,” said Vandroff. “Right colleges, as well as the local four-year in terms of workforce ? exibility.” now, we’re roughly 1,000 trade work- college, the University of Wisconsin- “Shipyards are most ef? cient when ers in the yard, and I need to grow that Green Bay. “Their Dean of Engineer- they are busy, working at capacity,” to about 1,400 over the next two years. ing and their Dean of their Business added Deste. And while each of the And I probably need to add around 100 School have both visited the yard,” said three yards will contribute to the Navy additional white-collar employees be- Vandroff, and both have tailored cur- program, he was quick to emphasize: tween additional engineers and addi- riculum so that their engineers and busi- “Let me be crystal clear here; commer- tional business professionals.” ness professionals both have the skills cial shipbuilding and repair will remain To address the need FMM is attack- that FMM needs. If all else fails, there the core business at Bay Shipbuilding.” ing the issue on multiple fronts. “We are is outsourcing. “On previous programs engaged in national recruiting efforts we’ve given chunks of ship construction

People, too for both blue collar and white collar to an outsource partner,” said Vandroff.

In addition to the physical facilities, employees,” said Vandroff, as well as “We are exploring options to do that,

FMM is laser focused on growing its leveraging partnerships with the State additionally, on the frigate in order (if employee base to deliver on its military of Wisconsin, as well as educational needed) to make sure that we have the contracts. “The biggest long-term risk institutions from the local high schools right resources to build the ships at the for our ability to execute this program to the local technical and community rate the Navy needs us to build them.

44 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • February 2022

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