Ship repair and building is crucial to the Hampton Roads economy and like other major industries, there’s a critical need for skilled workers. A new competition shows middle and high-school students career opportunities in the field.
The Virginia Ship Repair Foundation launched an innovative method to attract students into the ship repair and skilled trades field by creating the Digital Innovation Competition. Local students would figure out a solution to a problem related to the shipbuilding industry.
This year, nine schools competed. St. Matthew’s Catholic School in Virginia Beach won with a unique pod propulsion steering system. The students said it could have prevented ship tragedies like the infamous Titanic sinking.
The competition was a breath of fresh air for some shipbuilding veterans like Chris Murray with the Foundation.
“I’ve known engineers for 20 and 30 years and that don’t have the desire and drive let alone the ideas these kids come up with,” he said.
Private-sector shipbuilding and repair is big business in Hampton Roads. According to an Old Dominion University State of the Region report, it accounts for about 15% of the total value of the area’s economic activity. More than 160 ship construction and repair firms are in the region and approximately 25,000 people work in the industry.
But that’s still not enough skilled trade workers, like electricians, plumbers, welders and general construction professionals to keep up with demand.
“Simple trades have become so short- handed, finding the mechanic, finding the welder, finding the electrician — everybody wants to sit behind a desk,” Murray said.
High school student Chase Amos said after competing, he’s much more aware of career opportunities in the skilled trades.
“It is an almost never-ending industry of something that needs to happen, whether it is with the Navy or shipbuilding repair,” he said. “(It) definitely opens your eyes to a lot of things.”