NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPAYRD, Portsmouth, Va. –
The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry has awarded an employee from Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for the second year in a row. Shop 57 Insulating Mechanic Aisha Clark will receive the award on November 15, 2019, in Richmond, Virginia. The Virginia Apprentice Council, in association with Virginia's Department of Labor and Industry, honors outstanding apprentices who have completed their training program and are nominated by their sponsoring organizations.
A local of Portsmouth, Virginia, Clark has been at NNSY for four years after working for Virginia's Department of Motor Vehicles for ten years. As a single mother, she opted for a career at NNSY to provide a better life for herself and her 12-year-old daughter, Eniola.
Her supervisor, Shop 57 Nuclear Supervisor William James, describes Clark as "a go-getter, a hard worker, dedicated, reliable, and dependable. She's my lead mechanic. When my work leader isn't there, she steps in, and we don't have any issues or hiccups, and everything keeps going smoothly." James has tried to teach Clark everything he knows, and that training is already paying off. James said, "If I forget something because I'm running around, I have someone right behind me who can fill in the blanks." Clark hopes to become a supervisor at NNSY eventually. She said, "I do the best I can and keep up my qualifications and my responsibilities so that I can get to that step one day."
As she reflects on her accomplishments and her time as an apprentice, Clark shares some advice for those entering the program. "Stay humble, stay true to yourself. Your character is most important, so never let anyone jeopardize it. Always ask for help if you don't understand. That's the only way you grow."
When asked what she likes to do in her free-time, Clark said that she enjoys working out, cooking, going shopping, and relaxing with her daughter. Then she said, "I like working. Sometimes I prefer working because I like what I do."
As a proud member of the NNSY team and an alumna of the NNSY apprentice program, she is committed to the mission.