Page 38: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2021)

SHIPBUILDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The Apprentice School @ Newport News Shipbuilding

Inside the

Program to Train

Next-Gen

Shipbuilders & Leaders

The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding trains shipbuilders and leaders to build some of the highest value maritime assets on the planet: U.S. Navy ships. Dr. Latitia McCane,

Director of Education, The Apprentice School at Newport News

Shipbuilding discusses the challenges and rewards of the job.

hile most shipbuilders lament the dearth of in- notes it is the “leadership factory” for the storied shipbuilder, terest from the next generation to take up a ca- looking for students that not only have the requisite technical reer in shipbuilding, Dr. Latitia McCane, Di- aptitude and complex problem-solving skills, but also ones that rector of Education, The Apprentice School at have a strong background and aptitude in math and science.

W

Newport News Shipbuilding has the opposite problem, sorting “Our students have to take a lot of mathematics, physics and through nearly 4,000 applicants to ? ll only 200 spots annually. ship construction,” mixed with an athletic program that is aimed

A chemist by training, Dr. McCane’s entire career has been at building leadership, another pillar of the Apprentice School.

in and around the ‘earn and learn’ model, as she bene? ted Students earn $18/hour during the apprenticeship, elevating from ? nancial assistance from the likes of the National Sci- to about $64,000/year once they graduate.

ence Foundation and the National Institute of Health for tu- Today the school has about 800 students, a student body ition, books and fees for her STEM path of study. “So when that is male dominated with about 83% being male versus

I got the phone about coming here and being the Director of 17% female. “Our goal this year is to grow the number of the Apprentice school, it took me back to my roots of earn and females that we have within our school,” said Dr. McCane learn,” said Dr. McCane. Finding a diverse and quali? ed student body means partner- ing with local communities and schools – K-12. “We have about 40 plus students who we’ve matriculated through our

SHIPBUILDERS AND LEADERS

The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding is pre-apprenticeship program, where we’re exposing them for much more than learning a shipbuilding trade, as Dr. McCane one year, teaching them about the maritime trades, and also, 38 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • August 2021

MR #8 (34-49).indd 38 8/3/2021 3:32:18 PM