At Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, every submarine that returns to the fleet begins with a skilled workforce. Before the first weld is laid, pipe is fitted or system is restored, that workforce must first be developed — one apprentice, one trade, and one generation at a time.
As the shipyard continues to grow its workforce to meet the Navy’s increasing maintenance demands, two cornerstone programs — the Trades Apprenticeship and the Worker Skills Progression Program — are preparing the next generation of submarine maintenance professionals who preserve the shipyard’s legacy while strengthening its future.
The foundation for today’s workforce development efforts was established in 1918, when PNSY opened its first training school to address a critical shortage of skilled workers during World War I. Beginning with 110 students, the school provided classroom instruction and hands-on training in trades ranging from shipfitting and machining to welding and coppersmithing. Within a year, enrollment had grown to nearly 1,300 apprentices, reflecting the critical role workforce development played in sustaining the fleet.
Although the program contracted during periods of reduced workload, it expanded again during World War II, adapting to meet wartime demands by accelerating training and recruiting the next generation of skilled craftsmen and women. More than a century later, that same commitment to developing the workforce remains at the heart of the shipyard’s mission.
While the tools, technology and demands of submarine maintenance have evolved, one constant has remained — the commitment to developing the people who perform the work.
The global security environment continues to evolve, placing increased demand on the Navy’s submarine force and the shipyards that sustain it. Every submarine returned to the fleet strengthens the Navy’s ability to operate around the world. That readiness begins with an expert workforce commited to technical excellence, craftsmanship and quality. Developing that workforce is an investment in both the next generation of shipyard professionals and in the nation’s security.
For today’s Trades Apprenticeship and Worker Skills Progression Program participants, their graduation marks the beginning of a career with a purpose and continuing a legacy of excellence more than two centuries in the making.
“I take so much pride in the work I do because to me it’s not just a job that I clock in and out of,” said Chistian Berry, rigger and apprentice Class of 2026 spokesperson. “It’s a career working with thousands of other people for one goal, one mission — to serve the U.S. Navy and make this country and world a better place.”
