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NEWS | Jan. 21, 2020

PSNS & IMF Southwest Regional Apprentice Program holds graduation

By PSNS & IMF Public Affairs

The Navy welcomed 18 skilled, journey-level trade professionals into its workforce during the Southwest Regional Apprentice Program commencement ceremony Jan. 16 at Southwestern College’s Mayan Hall in Chula Vista.

The four-year apprentice program graduates represent four commands and six trades. In addition to receiving their journey-worker credentials from both the Department of Navy and Department of Labor, they earn a Liberal Studies Associates Degree in Math and Science from Southwestern College.

Brian McDermott, PSNS & IMF production resources manager, emceed the event and the keynote speaker was Capt. Daniel Ettlich, commander, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

“Today you officially join the ranks of the dedicated, highly skilled professional men and women who are the building blocks of our maintenance facilities and naval shipyards,” said Ettlich in a congratulatory letter to graduates. “As graduate apprentices, you will be required to carry forward a proud tradition. We maintain our Navy as the best in the world, ready to defend our freedom in a moment’s notice during this time of Great Power Competition. The bottom line is – our national defense depends on you.”

Family members, friends, instructors, supervisors and apprentice program alumni attended the ceremony.

Apprentice class speaker Steven Johnston, a marine machinery mechanic representing Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, addressed the importance of the work ahead of the graduates during his speech.

“The goal of the work we do is to maintain, modernize and retire our Navy’s fleet so that our Sailors and Marines can perform their valuable missions and return safely to their families,” said Johnson. “I am confident that the training we have received and experience we have gained will enable us, and the Navy, to perform the quality work that must be done.”

Zach Hummel, a rigger representing Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, received the Scholastic Achievement Award with a GPA of 3.93 and was recognized as Apprentice of the Year by the program’s administration.

The following are excerpts from Mr. Hummel’s nomination:

“Zach has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and dedication to success. His efforts have produced high-quality results repeatedly. Zach took on the role as a leader both within the rigger trade and within the DMF workforce from the start of his apprenticeship. There have been many cases where other shop supervisors had to rely on Zach’s skill and knowledge to complete tasks and did so comfortably knowing that Zach always made responsible and competent decisions on the job.”

The Southwest Regional Apprentice Program consists of both academic classes and on-the-job-learning. This is the sixth graduating class since the four-year program opened its doors in 2010. The program is a partnership among Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton, Washington; Southwest Regional Maintenance Center in San Diego; Fleet Readiness Center Southwest at Naval Air Station North Island; Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine; and Southwestern College in Chula Vista.