OCT08-03:  Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Graduates Apprentices, Skilled Workers

Kittery, Maine - Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) held a graduation ceremony Oct. 2 for the shipyard's Trades Apprenticeship and Worker Skills Progression programs.

PNS Commander Capt. Robert Mazzone congratulated the 161 graduates (114 apprentices and 47 Worker Skills Progression students) representing 17 different trades.

"This graduating class will be required to carry forward a proud tradition," said Mazzone. "To maintain our Navy as the best in the world and be ready to defend our freedom in a moment's notice - the safety of our Navy's submarine Sailors, and our National Defense - depends on you. They are depending on each of us to do the right thing the first time and each time - as we work every job, small or large, alone or with a crew, at this Shipyard or elsewhere around the world.  Your responsibility is never diminished."

Completion of either the Trades Apprenticeship or Worker Skills Progression program require over 7,200 hours of combined academic courses, related skills courses, and on-the-job training.

Academic courses are administered jointly by Great Bay and York County Community Colleges, while the trade-related courses are conducted on site by the shipyard's training department.  The students' on-the-job training is performed under highly-qualified, journey-level mentors.

Graduate Dan Fantasia, marine machinery mechanic, spoke of his sense of pride, responsibility and commitment to quality. 

"We all have friends and relatives that get up and just go to work - for us it is more than that," Fantasia said. "It's a lifestyle that revolves around safety, quality and craftsmanship. We are a cohesive unit whose job does not directly involve combat, but it is our job is to maintain combat-ready machinery for the most powerful Navy in the world."

NAVSEA's four public shipyards (Puget Sound, Norfolk, Pearl Harbor and Portsmouth) play a major role in maintaining America's Navy and providing a wartime surge capability to keep the nation's ships ready for combat.

Back to Newswire