Students & Early Career Opportunities at HII

Since 1952, the Ingalls Apprentice School has produced over 4,000 graduates of their comprehensive three- to four-year curriculum in shipbuilding careers. Graduates have held various positions from pipe welders to senior executives. Training combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Upon successful completion apprentices are promoted to journeyman status. The school partners with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to meet training needs and is jointly sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 733 and the Pascagoula Metal Trades Council.

The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding was founded in 1919 and is the preeminent apprenticeship program in the nation. The school offers four-, five-, and eight-year apprenticeships in nineteen shipbuilding disciplines, eight advanced programs of study, and is committed to fostering apprentices' development of craftsmanship, scholarship, and leadership. It is accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education and registered with the Virginia Apprenticeship Council and offers apprentices the opportunity to earn college credit and receive competitive pay while learning a trade.

The Newport News Shipbuilding division partners with the Virginia Ship Repair Association and local Virginia community colleges and maritime training facilities to offer several course-to-hire Marine Trades Training (MTT) programs for individuals interested in learning a trade and working full-time for Newport News Shipbuilding.

Employees in skilled trades roles can advance their technical skills through a company-paid apprenticeship program offered in partnership with Tidewater Community College, held outside working hours.

Your career at HII starts before your first project. HII's onboarding programs are built to make sure you feel equipped and connected from day one, not just handed a badge or a desk.

The Navigator and Buddy Program pairs new hires with experienced teammates for regular check-ins, introductions, and real answers to the questions you're too new to know how to ask. These aren't formal HR touchpoints; they're working relationships designed to help you find your footing quickly and feel like part of the team.

At Ingalls Shipbuilding, Culture Connectors serve as engagement champions embedded in the workforce: people whose job is to keep the energy and connection alive beyond the first few weeks.

At HII we don't just hire early-career talent; we invest in developing it. Across all divisions, you'll have access to career advisors, mentoring programs, leadership seminars, and personalized coaching to help you figure out where you want to go and how to get there.

Development opportunities are both formal and informal: leadership and personal development courses, lunch-and-learns, employee group programming, on-demand eLearning, and self-assessment tools that help you understand your strengths and identify where to grow.

At Mission Technologies, the MyCareerCompass platform lets you chart your own career pathway: updating your profile, listing certifications and interests, identifying skill gaps, and receiving personalized training recommendations. It's a practical tool for people who want to be intentional about where their career goes, not just where it lands.

Leadership development at HII isn't reserved for people who already have direct reports. Early-career employees have access to development programs at every level, including stretch assignments, project leadership opportunities, rotational programs, and Project Management boot camps that build the skills you need to move up.

Topics in formal programs include management principles, organizational skills, public speaking, and more. Employee resource groups host workshops and symposiums that connect early-career professionals with peers and senior leaders across the company. If you want to grow quickly, the structure is there, and so are the people.

Starting your career at HII doesn't mean stopping your education. HII offers tuition reimbursement and education assistance for professional courses, certifications, and associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees relevant to your career. Scholarships and co-op programs through university partnerships provide additional pathways for students and recent graduates building skills on the job.

If you have ambitions that go beyond your first role (a graduate degree, a certification, a second discipline), HII has programs to help you get there without putting your career on hold.