Shipfitter Trainee Or Certification - High School Seniors Or Graduates

Req

Team: X11 FITTERS

Entity:
Newport News Shipbuilding

US Citizenship Required for this Position:
Yes

Full-Time

Shift: Multiple
Relocation:
Relocation assistance will be available
Virtual/Telework Opportunity:
No - Not eligible for telework

Travel Requirement:
Yes, 10%-25% of the time

Clearance Required:

No - Clearance Not Required to Start

With more than 25,000 employees – including third-, fourth- and even fifth-generation shipbuilders – HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division is the largest industrial employer in Virginia. We’re the sole designer, builder and refueler of U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carriers and one of two providers of U.S. Navy nuclear submarines. Our diverse and innovative team of professionals ranges from skilled trades to project managers, engineers and software developers to solution architects, technical subject matter experts, and system users.

Anchored in our rich, 135-year history, we collaborate together at the forefront of technology, manufacturing, and integration of the most powerful and survivable naval ships in the world. Want to be part of the team? Apply today! We look forward to meeting you.

This Job Listing is for recent or upcoming 2026 High School Graduates. Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII, is offering a $500 sign‑on bonus to Trade Trainee hires. In addition, Newport News Shipbuilding is offering $500 in relocation bonus to Trade Trainee new hires that live 50 miles or greater from Newport News, VA. Job seekers who apply are eligible for the sign‑on bonus and relocation bonus.

Newport News Shipbuilding offers competitive pay, weekly paychecks, paid time off, paid holidays, medical benefits including an on‑site health center, 401K company match, employee discounts, and more. The sign‑on bonus is for external new hires. Current Newport News Shipbuilding employees are ineligible for the sign‑on bonus.

This position is for job seekers with no trades experience willing to complete three weeks of unpaid training in Shipfitting or for job seekers with a certificate in a related trades field.

Newport News Shipbuilding has partnered 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. Courses are offered once a month with 6‑15 students per class. The Ship fitter Trainee program is offered at Camp Community College (Suffolk, VA), Virginia Peninsula Community College (Hampton, VA), or Tidewater Community College (Portsmouth, VA).

Each (UNPAID) program is 3‑weeks (120 hours), 7:00 am – 3:30 pm (Monday through Friday).

Candidates who have received and provide a certificate or diploma in Shipfitting or directly related field are encouraged to apply and may be eligible to waive the completion of the trainee program. Directly related fields include Welding (SMAW, GMAW), Plasma Cutting and/or Oxy‑Fuel Cutting, Construction Maintenance, Carpentry, Auto Body, and/or Sheet Metal Fabrication.

To learn more about the Marine Trades Training (MTT) programs and how the process works, visit

Shipfitters, often referred to as "carpenters" of shipbuilding or "artists of steel" are essential for interpreting blueprints and plans to fabricate and assemble the steel structures of aircraft carriers and submarines. They use a variety of tools to measure, cut, grind, fit, align, and tack weld components, ranging from small parts to large sub‑assemblies and super lifts that form the ship’s structural body.

In addition to fabricating external structures, ship fitters construct all interior components, including hatches, doors, and bulkheads completing the steel work on the vessel.

At NNS, ship fitters undergo training and qualification at the shipyard’s state of the art welding school. Their skills will be applied in multiple locations across the shipyard including shops, concrete and metal structures, dry docks, and aboard ships in support of new construction, ship repair, and overhaul.

Working at Newport News…