Apprenticeships
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
www.ports.navy.mil/career.html
This is a great resource right in our backyard. The Shipyard
hires students right out of high school for the Apprenticeship
Program. You get paid very well during your training (How
does a starting pay of $16.10+ an hour sound?). Plus they
will provide college courses for free and even pay you while
you are taking the course! Jobs are available in a variety
of specialty areas, including:
COATINGS & COVERINGS TRADES
Fabric Worker (3105): A fabric
worker plans, designs, lays out, constructs and installs
containments of various sizes and configurations for radiological,
environmental and cleanliness controls shipboard, in dry
docks and in facilities. Other work can include reupholstering
ship’s furnishing, manufacturing tool bags, protective
coverings, and other items on request. Materials used include
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PUR) sheeting,
Herculite, Kevlar, canvas, naugahyde, linen and other flexible
materials.
Insulator (3610): An insulator applies a variety of insulation
materials on hulls, steam turbines, distillation plants,
refrigeration plants, ventilation ducts and other piping
systems and equipment to prevent loss of heat or cold, prevent
condensation and reduce noise levels aboard ship and noise
transfer to the sea. Materials used include molded calcium
silicate, fiberglass and foam plastic insulations along
with insulating and adhesive cements.
Painter-Blaster (4102): A painter-blaster prepares surfaces
and applies coatings on interior and exterior surfaces,
tanks and voids aboard ships and as shop applications to
meet specific decorative and preservation requirements.
Duties include abrasive blasting, needle gunning, grinding
and sanding surfaces for preparation. Also included are
applying coatings such as alkyds, epoxies and powder coatings
by brushing, rolling and spraying.
Plastic Fabricator (4352): A plastic fabricator builds,
modifies and repairs plastic, fiberglass and rubber components
using techniques such as casting, laminating, thermoforming,
vacuum bag molding, compression molding and spray coating.
Duties may also include working with terrazzo, vinyl floor
coverings, sound damping, special hull treatment, wood,
Plexiglas, powder coatings and Plastisol.
Shipwright (5220): A shipwright uses optical instruments
to provide reference points and alignment services during
docking evolutions and overall. Other duties include erecting,
maintaining and removing scaffolding in both nuclear and
non-nuclear applications. Woodworking duties may include
building temporary enclosures, plenums, shipping skids,
mock-ups and pipe templates.
ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS
TRADES
Shipyard Electricians and Electronics worker perform duties
in 1 of 4 areas; marine, production, public works or services.
Marine Electrician (2805): A
marine electrician installs, repairs, manufactures and tests
nuclear and non-nuclear shipboard electrical systems and
control equipment. Typical work includes overhauling, repairing
and testing rotating equipment, motor control equipment,
switchboards, power panels, circuit breakers, connectors,
communication equipment, batteries, lighting and cabling.
Production Machinery Electrician (2805): A production machinery
electrician maintains, installs, repairs, retrofits and
troubleshoots electrical circuits and components associated
with industrial machinery. This includes the performance
of electrical preventive maintenance.
Public Works Electrician (High Voltage) (2810) : A public
works electrician installs and repairs motor control circuits,
motors and generators and portable electric equipment; manufactures
and repairs cables, connectors and panels used for distribution
of electrical power throughout the base complex. Typical
work includes the installation and maintenance of high voltage
(600 VAC to 115,000 VAC) transformers and distribution equipment
that support all aspects of a naval shipyard’s production
and habitability needs.
Service Electrician (2805): A service electrician provides
temporary electrical distribution services to U.S. Navy
vessels during overhaul/repair operations. Typical duties
may include installing and connecting temporary shore power
to lighting, ships systems support equipment, and alarm
systems.
Electronic Industrial Controls Mechanic (2606): An electronic
industrial controls mechanic repairs, tests and calibrates
electronic measuring equipment. Duties may also include
maintenance and repair of CNC systems, automatic welding
equipment, automated access control systems, security and
alarm systems, and fiber optic closed circuit systems.
Electronic Industrial Controls Mechanic (Cranes) (2606):
An electronic industrial controls mechanic for cranes troubleshoots,
repairs, adjusts, modifies and tests electronic controls
on lifting and handling equipment. This includes solid-state
motor and generator controls, computer controlled hoist
motor drives, radio-controlled components, monitoring and
alarm systems, and indication equipment. Duties also include
the duties of the crane electrician.
Electronics Mechanic (2604): An electronics mechanic installs,
troubleshoots, repairs and tests shipboard electronic equipment
and systems. Duties of the electronics mechanic may include
installation, diagnosis, repair and testing of nuclear and
non-nuclear shipboard electronic equipment and systems.
Assignments may include work on sonar transducer arrays,
fire control systems, communications and computer repair.
LIFTING & HANDLING TRADES
Heavy Mobile Equipment Mechanic
(5803): A heavy mobile equipment mechanic performs maintenance
and repair on various types of heavy-duty equipment such
as floating, portal, gantry, bridge and truck cranes. Duties
may also include work on railroad locomotives. Work may
include repair of diesel and gasoline engines gearboxes,
power transfer and braking systems and DC generators.
Rigger (5210): A rigger selects, installs, and uses cables,
ropes, shackles, beam clamps, strong backs and other weight
handling gear to lift, move and position heavy loads. Riggers
use complex multipoint suspension techniques to maneuver
over, under, and around obstacles by tilting, dipping and
turning the suspended load. Other duties include the fabrication,
installation and repair of standing and running rigging
and wire cable or fiber rope articles such as slings, towing
bridles, wire rope nets, and other ship and boat rigging
and weight handling gear. Riggers direct the operation of
cranes and similar equipment and plan for clearance and
safety factors. They assist in ship docking operations by
laying out and handling docking lines and tackles, snubbing
lines on cleats or bollards, hauling in lines by operating
capstans, and performing similar duties. Riggers work with
shipwrights for dock build-ups and for the positioning of
the ship during docking operations.
MECHANICAL TRADES
Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic
(5306): An air conditioning equipment mechanic removes,
repairs, overhauls, aligns, installs, tests and adjusts
ship's air conditioning and refrigeration systems and components
including compressors, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, switches,
electrical and pneumatic system controls. Removes and replaces
various types of refrigerants, and conducts pressure, vacuum,
and operational testing of air conditioning and refrigeration
systems using nitrogen and refrigerants.
Machinist (3414): A machinist manufactures new and repairs
existing parts using lathes, milling machines, boring mills,
drills and CNC operated equipment. Duties may include disassembling,
inspecting, reassembling and testing components such as
turbines, valves, pumps and compressors. Duties may also
include machining of forged and heat treated material as
well as rubber and plastics.
Marine Machinery Mechanic (5334): A marine machinery mechanic
installs, removes, optically aligns, tests, overhauls and
repairs ship's main propulsion machinery including turbine
generators, internal combustion engines, reduction gears,
propeller shafts, pumps, valves, auxiliary engines, nuclear
reactor components, ordnance machinery and other shipboard
components. Duties may also include work on hydraulic actuators,
boat davits, capstans, windlasses and auxiliary cranes.
Temporary Services Pipefitter (4204): A temporary services
pipefitter installs, tests, maintains and removes temporary
services to U.S. Navy vessels during overhaul/repair operations.
Temporary services provided may include HVAC, air and water
for various uses, effluent discharge and steam.
Shipboard Pipefitter (4204): A shipboard pipefitter removes,
repairs, manufactures, installs and tests piping systems
aboard U.S. Navy vessels. Typical duties may include using
piping diagrams to determine angles of bends, using machinery
to bend those angles and installing the piping aboard ship.
Materials used may include copper, nickel, copper and stainless
steel.
Production Machinery Mechanic (5350): A production machinery
mechanic installs, repairs, inspects, aligns, analyzes and
rebuilds industrial plant equipment and machinery. This
process includes operating and maintaining ultra high-pressure
water jetting and high-pressure air systems as well as maintaining,
inspecting and rebuilding nuclear support equipment/facilities.
STRUCTURAL TRADES
Sheetmetal Mechanic (3806):
A sheet metal mechanic fabricates, modifies, repairs, assembles
and installs sheet metal items in buildings and aboard U.S.
Navy vessels. Metals used may include galvanized and black
iron, aluminum and aluminum alloys, stainless steel, copper,
and brass sheets, lead alloys, and bronze. Sheet metal items
may include HVAC duct, lockers, protective covers and metal
paneling.
Shipfitter (3820): A shipfitter plans, manufactures, installs,
removes and repairs structural assemblies aboard U.S. Navy
vessels. These assemblies vary in size from less than 100
pounds to over several tons and consist of ferrous or non-ferrous
metals.
Welder (3703): A welder cuts and joins all types of industrial
and marine metals aboard U.S. Navy vessels and in facility
buildings using complex welding and thermal cutting processes.
INSPECTION
Metals Inspector (3801): A metals
inspector identifies physical and mechanical properties
or defects of a piece of material or structure without altering
its end use capabilities. This demanding and ever changing
field requires continuous academic study. The inspection
methods used in the Naval Ship repair industry can be classified
to the following groups: Visual, Liquid Penetrant, Magnetic
Particle, Ultrasonic, Radiographic and Eddy Current.
Offers an evening electrical and
plumbing apprenticeship opportunity at the Richard W. Creteau
Regional Technology Center, which is attached to Spaulding
High School.
For more information contact:
David Robbins
CTE Director
Richard W. Creteau Regional Technology Center
140 Wakefield Street, Rochester, New Hampshire 03867
603-335-7351 x221
fax 603-335-7365
robbins.d@rochesterschools.com
