THE APPRENTICE SCHOOL AT NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING PRAISED AS CENTER FOR TRAINING EXCELLENCE

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Sept. 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced today that The Apprentice School at its Newport News Shipbuilding division has been reaccredited until 2022 by the Council on Occupational Education.

To retain accreditation, The Apprentice School must maintain quality programs, undergo an extensive self-review process, and continue to meet the council’s standards and conditions for accreditation.

The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding has been reaccredited until 2022 by the Council on Occupational Education, which also commended the school for its training model, faculty and staff. Photo by Chris Oxley.

The Apprentice School has become a national model for apprenticeship programs,” said Ray Bagley, Newport News’ vice president, trades operations. “When an institution has operated for 97 years, it’s easy to fall back on ‘what we’ve always done.’ That’s not how you succeed. Our faculty and staff go to great lengths to make the apprenticeship experience at Newport News Shipbuilding relevant, and I applaud them for this outstanding accomplishment.”

The Apprentice School also was commended for its training model and its faculty and staff. In a letter to the school, the council’s commission executive committee wrote, “The school excels at its primary mission to instruct students to such competency levels essential to success, making them a center for training excellence. The team found that the students were enthusiastic about their career possibilities, program progression and continuing education opportunities. The faculty are highly skilled, committed, professional, nurturing and worked collaboratively toward the school’s mission, creating an exceptional educational experience.”

The Apprentice School offers four- to eight-year, tuition-free apprenticeships in 19 trades and eight optional advanced programs. Apprentices work a regular 40-hour week and are paid for all work, including time spent in academic classes. Through partnerships with Old Dominion University, Thomas Nelson Community College and Tidewater Community College, the school’s academic program provides the opportunity to earn associate’s degrees in business administration, engineering and engineering technology and bachelor’s degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering.