Austal USA Graduates 28 Apprentices Into Full-time Positions

Alabama shipbuilder Austal USA said it graduated 28 youth apprentices into full-time paid positions this spring. The apprentices are recent high school graduates from schools throughout Mobile and Baldwin County and completed seven weeks of training at the Alabama Industrial Development Training facility adjacent to Austal’s campus.

“Austal USA is excited to have hired 28 Youth Apprentices into full-time Fabrication Trade Assistant positions,” Austal USA Workforce Development Manager Ryan Lee said. “The Youth Apprenticeship program is a special program. It’s an awesome experience being a part of the development of high school students and watching them learn the craft of shipbuilding. As full-time employees they now enjoy competitive pay, excellent benefits, and a great career full of possibilities.

“This is a win/win program for the students, community and industry,” Lee said. “It would not be the success it is without great partner school systems across the region and we hope to hire more from the Youth Apprentice class into full-time positions this summer.”

The graduates, high school seniors when they began the program, work in production as Fabrication Trades Assistants, joining the workforce earning over $15 per hour with full Austal employee benefits.

Deemed an essential business supporting national security by the Department of Homeland Security, Austal is continuing to build ships for the U.S. Navy and has implemented CDC, OSHA, and World Health Organization guidelines and safety measures across its business to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.