Ingalls Shipbuilding Celebrates 43 Graduates of Shipbuilder Academy with Full-Time Job Offers

Ingalls Shipbuilding hosted a "signing day" for its Shipbuilder Academy graduates, offering full-time positions to 43 students. The program provides hands-on training and prepares students for careers in the shipbuilding industry. Graduates will join Ingalls as apprentice helpers in various crafts such as welders, painters, and electricians. The Shipbuilder Academy has graduated over 450 students since 2016, investing in local workforce pipelines and preparing young individuals for careers at the shipyard.

Title: Ingalls Shipbuilding Welcomes 43 High School Graduates to Full-Time Positions

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WLOX) - Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), hosted a "signing day" for 43 graduates of its Shipbuilder Academy on Wednesday, marking the start of their full-time careers at the shipyard. The ceremony, coinciding with National Apprenticeship Day, saw high school seniors signing contingent employment offers for roles including welders, painters, joiners, pipefitters, and electricians.

The Shipbuilder Academy, which has graduated over 450 students since 2016, partners with 13 Gulf Coast high schools and provides hands-on training, mentorship, and classroom instruction. Ingalls also supports technical programs at three local high schools: Pascagoula, Moss Point, and Alma Bryant. The program aims to develop skilled professionals and maintain a strong workforce pipeline in the shipbuilding industry.

One of the graduates, Tommie Bettis, a senior from Moss Point High School, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. "It means so much to me to be signing with Ingalls," Bettis said. "I’m really thankful to my teachers for guiding me toward this career." Bettis plans to start as a structural welder.

Another graduate, Randie Vickers from Alma Bryant High School, also felt the significance of the event. "I come from a family of welders and electricians, so I’m proud to carry that tradition on as a welder at Ingalls," Vickers said. Vickers will join the company as an apprentice welder.

The Shipbuilder Academy has been instrumental in preparing young individuals for careers at the shipyard. Through partnerships with local schools and hands-on training, the program ensures a steady pipeline of skilled workers, contributing to the long-term growth and stability of Ingalls' workforce.

For more information about careers at Ingalls Shipbuilding, visit hii.com/careers.

References:
[1] https://www.wlox.com/2025/04/30/ingalls-welcomes-43-high-school-seniors-following-shipbuilder-academy-graduation/
[2] https://www.stocktitan.net/news/HII/hii-s-ingalls-shipbuilding-hosts-signing-day-for-shipbuilder-academy-r7nfyqoln7wx.html
[3] https://hii.com/news/hii-launching-new-build-it-in-america-for-america-ads-celebrating-u-s-based-manufacturing-work-and-workforce/