HII Celebrates 128 Apprentices, Awards 105 Applied Science Degrees
HII graduated 128 apprentices from its Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School, including 105 earning Applied Science degrees and 13 highest honors in combined academic and craft performance. The ceremony featured a keynote by Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and honored Ferguson Award recipient Alex Edwards, reinforcing HII’s workforce pipeline.
1. Graduation Ceremony
HII held commencement for 128 graduates at its Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School with a keynote by Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and a shipyard tour and roundtable on workforce development and national security.
2. Graduate Achievements
The class produced 105 Associate of Applied Science degree earners, 13 highest honors, 32 high honors, 13 honors, 69 Frontline FAST completions, 30 National Society of Leadership Success inductees, six veterans, and 24 Gold Athletic award recipients, led by Ferguson Award winner Alex Edwards.
3. Workforce Development Significance
Founded in 1919, the tuition-free, paid-apprenticeship program spans four to eight years across 19 trades, bolstering HII’s skilled labor pipeline and aligning with national security needs by integrating academic instruction with shipbuilding craft training.