PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii –
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – It was a hot, bustling day at the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum at Pearl Harbor. A recent ribbon-cutting for a new exhibit highlighted Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard's more than 100-year history of submarine contributions. This provided the perfect backdrop for Honolulu Community College’s summer Career and Technical Education (CTE) program to cap off its season with a shipyard-sponsored mini-trades fair.
Now in its fourth year, the field trip capped a five-week summer academy for students ranging from incoming freshmen to recent high school graduates. Rather than traditional classes, participants rotated through introductory courses in welding, machining and carpentry. As they entered the new museum exhibit, shipyard workers greeted them with interactive booths to show students how these trades translate into real-world, high-demand careers in their community.
This bridge from classroom to real-world application is the partnership's intent. Iris Greges, representing the HCC program, emphasized the impact of the mini-trades fair's visual approach.
"With our summer CTE program, the students did welding and carpentry," Greges said. "They're already in that mindset, and to be able to see it in person and talk to people is invaluable."
Designed to be interactive, the experience moved beyond the traditional field trip structure, letting students explore freely. Highlights included a popular crane simulator where students tested their skills. These displays help the shipyard engage youth, illustrating the opportunity for high-tech, local careers.
“We want these smart and ambitious young people to know that the shipyard is here in their backyard, doing challenging and fulfilling work, and we have a place for them,” said Julia Cramer, PHNSY & IMF STEM program coordinator.
For the shipyard, this summer academy is a first step in long-term engagement. By sparking early interest, PHNSY hopes to guide students toward its Shipyard Apprentice Program, which combines full-time work at Pearl Harbor while earning associate degrees at HCC. The partnership increases shipyard visibility and provides local teens with a meaningful career path.
Hosting this kind of energetic career exploration inside a history museum might seem unconventional, but for Luann Stone, the museum’s manager of education and visitor experience, it was a perfect match. With an education background herself, Stone saw the collaboration as a natural way to bridge classroom theory and hands-on execution.
"I think any opportunities that we can provide for young people to be able to see the relevance between technology and careers, and try and meld that together, is awesome," Stone said. "I feel like any opportunity I have to work with the shipyard and the museum is just a perfect collaboration."
The impact of that collaboration was evident on the museum floor. Mario Cobian, a military veteran and event chaperone, noted the students' high engagement as they eagerly explored the displays.
"They're loving it," Cobian said. "This is a great peek into a possible career path for them."
Exposing students to shipyard careers is a continuing priority for Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. Through partnership with HCC, the shipyard seeks to build a sustainable pipeline of skilled local talent to keep the Navy's fleet "Fit to Fight" for generations.
PHNSY & IMF’s mission is to keep the Navy’s fleet “Fit to Fight” by repairing, maintaining, and modernizing the Navy's fast-attack submarines and surface ships. Strategically located in the heart of the Pacific, it is the most comprehensive fleet repair and maintenance facility between the U.S. West Coast and the Far East.