Welder​/Structure Trainee Or Certified - High School Seniors Or Graduates

Req
Team: X18 WELDERS
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:

No

Clearance Required:

No - Clearance Not Required to Start

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

Newport News Shipbuilding offers competitive pay, weekly paychecks, paid time off, paid holidays, medical benefits including an on‑site health center, 401(k) 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 the Welder trade or for job seekers with a certificate in a related trades field.

Newport News Shipbuilding has partnered with the Virginia Ship Repair Association, local Virginia community colleges and maritime training facilities, to offer Marine Trades Training (MTT) programs for individuals interested in learning a trade and working full‑time for NNS. The Welding trainee program is offered once a month with 8-10 students per class, and is held at Virginia Peninsula Community College (Hampton, VA), Tidewater Community College (Portsmouth, VA), or Camp Community College (Suffolk, VA).

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

Candidates who have received and provide a certificate or diploma in Welding or directly related field are encouraged to apply and may be eligible to waive the completion of the trainee program. Directly related fields include AWS Welding (SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, and/or FCAW).

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

As a welder, you will being your career by qualifying though the shipyard’s start‑of‑the‑art welding school. Upon completion, you will use a variety of welding filler metals and processes to perform structural and pipe welds throughout all phases of ship construction. Welders are responsible for tack, fillet, and full penetration welding on steel foundations, as well as structural and pipe joints for aircraft carriers and submarines.

Welders will employ various welding processes including SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding), FCAW (Flux Cored Arc Welding), GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding), and GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding), and perform welding in all positions using both manual and mechanized techniques. All work will meet stringent nondestructive testing requirements, including visual inspection, ultrasonic inspection, and radiographic inspection. Additionally, welders will receive further training in certified visual inspection, fire watch protocols, carbon arcing, and troubleshooting minor welding equipment issues.

Working at Newport News Shipbuilding often involves performing tasks in various weather conditions, at extreme heights on scaffolding, ladders, or elevated platforms and in small, confined spaces such as tanks, compartments, or voids in a ship. These environments require a strong focus on safety, precision, and adaptability, as well as physical agility and comfort working in challenging conditions.

Watch this video to learn more:

• Must be able to pass a 3‑week (UNPAID) program (120 hours), 7:00 am – 3:30 pm (Monday – Friday) OR present one or more certificates of completion or diploma in Welding or a directly related field from a high school vocational program, community college, trade school, technical college, apprentice program, post‑secondary institution, or military equivalent.
• Must be willing to undergo a background investigation and drug screen
• Must be able to pass physical agility test
• Must…