Marine Group Boat Works, San Diego, Calif., has been awarded a $633,005 grant from the U.S. Navy to establish a grant-funded maritime welding program aimed at expanding the pool of welders certified to Navy standards for shipbuilding and repair work.
The grant covers 75% of the program’s total cost, with Marine Group funding the remaining 25%. The initiative is designed to address workforce constraints by increasing the number of welders certified to Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) requirements, supporting production capacity for Navy surface ships and other maritime assets.
Marine Group partnered with the Maritime Institute in San Diego to develop a customized curriculum that combines accredited technical instruction with Navy shipbuilding quality and safety standards. Through the program, the shipyard offers a welding scholarship that pays eligible new and existing employees while they train, and covers the full cost of course materials and instruction throughout the NAVSEA certification process.
Upon successful certification, graduates transition into full-time welding positions at Marine Group.
“For years, the maritime industry has struggled with figuring out who will replace the existing generation of Navy boatbuilders,” said Todd Roberts, CEO of Marine Group. “This Navy grant has allowed us to take matters into our own hands by coming up with a viable solution to the workforce problem.”
According to Marine Group, the program’s primary objective is to certify as many welders as possible to NAVSEA standards so graduates are immediately qualified to work on Navy vessels. The first class achieved a 100% pass rate, with all participants now certified and assigned to current projects at the shipyard. Those projects include two Jordan patrol boats being built for the Navy under the Foreign Military Sales program, as well as a Range Support Vessel for the Navy’s Program Executive Office.
Marine Group said its average employee retention rate is approximately 92%. Company officials said higher retention, combined with certified skill development, is expected to improve shipyard efficiency while adding qualified workers to the industry.
Marine Group said interest in the program has increased following the first class, and the company plans to continue investing in workforce development initiatives tied to Navy shipbuilding and repair needs.
