Page 29: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2025)

realize the importance of the work that we do, because it’s im- portant work for the defense of our country,” said Terry. “During orientation, we tell them it’s going to be hard, but to view it as a short-term sacri? ce. You buckle down, you work hard for four months, and there’s going to be a great reward at the end,” she said.

There is a required industry engagement course, and partici- pation in the job fairs is required unless a student has already received an employment commitment.

According to Terry, the industry engagement class is as im- portant as any of the welding, machining or metrology classes that those students will take. “It teaches them how to apply for jobs, making sure they’re looking for a job early on, how to dress, how to talk, and when to toot their own horn.”

The career services team helps students create resumes and conducts mock job interviews.

As these students take up their jobs, they help build and main- tain the ATDM brand. “If companies need to hire additional peo- ple, and they’ve got an ATDM graduate who they’re pleased with, they’ll come back to us. That reputation we have to maintain.”

There are jobs available in all 50 states, but the bulk of the jobs are in or around the major shipyards. A number of com- panies participate in the job fairs, but students are not limited to those companies. If a student is reluctant to accept an offer, it’s usually because they don’t want to relocate. When they compete for the scholarship, they know going in that the jobs may not be in their hometown. “There’s an expectation that they will work somewhere in the submarine or defense industrial base for a year. We’re hop- ing that they’re going to get their foot in the door and stay there and move up,” Terry said.

While the “Build Submarines” advertising and outreach is effec- tive, Joyce Culley, ATDM’s assistant director for Recruitment and

Admissions said the program also actively seeks out candidates. “We have a veteran recruiter that spends a lot of time on the road visiting military bases and attending programs sponsored by the military to get veterans here to the program. We also have other recruiters that go to college fairs and career and technical education outreach events to talk to people about our program face-to-face,” Culley said.

“When they’re not on the road, our recruiters reach out by making phone calls,” she said. “We also have work-study stu- dents contact leads and prospects to share information with them about the program. They come in after shift and work several hours making calls for us.”

Culley said that there have been students from 46 different states, and they have had job opportunities from employers across the nation. But, she said, students need to be open to relocating to where there are vacancies with companies par- ticipating in the MIB.

Demand for the ? ve different tracks varies. The AM course is offered three times a year. But in welding and CNC, there are new cohorts starting regularly, and the training is being conducted in three shifts. Additive manufacturing and metrol- ogy will expand to two shifts this fall.

The curriculum is constantly being updated, Culley said.

MR #11 (18-33).indd 29 MR #11 (18-33).indd 29 11/2/2025 7:35:03 PM11/2/2025 7:35:03 PM