Our vision is to encourage, empower, and recruit the next generation of shipbuilders by improving their job readiness skills to become high-performance craftspeople in the shipbuilding trades.
What is Youth Builders?
Youth Builders allows students to gain exposure to shipbuilding trades, develop skills needed for acceptance into The Apprentice School, and prepare them for a future career at Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS).
Youth Builders meet on Tuesday evenings for Math Enrichment, Builder Shop Talks, and Workplace Learning. Meetings are usually held online, with roughly 5 in-person meetings. You do not have to be local to participate – any in-person meetings can be replaced with online activities crafted by our staff. Applications open in March for the program commencing in September and concluding in April. Please see the calendar for specific dates.
Who Can Participate?
The Youth Builders program is currently open to 11th and 12th grade students in public, private, or home schools who have an interest in shipbuilding careers. *You must apply during the spring of your sophomore or junior year. *
Minimum Requirements for Admission to the Youth Builders Program
- GPA of 2.0 or higher (with grade of C or better in math and science classes)
- Have taken or are on track to take Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II by their junior year
- Submitted high school transcript
- Completed application including meeting the essay requirements
The Youth Builder Experience
Math Enrichment
Today’s high-performance workers require problem-solving skills in both science and technology, where applied mathematics is crucial. For that reason, all Youth Builders will participate in math activities.
Builder Shop Talk
During Builder Shop Talk meetings, current apprentices share their first-hand experiences in their trade and answer your questions about The Apprentice School. You will also get the opportunity to work with our staff on resume building, interview practice, and guidance on applying to The Apprentice School.
Workplace Learning
The Apprentice School offers 19 different shipbuilding trades. During these in-person meetings, you will use our virtual simulation lab to gain hands-on exposure to most of these trades. Youth Builders who cannot attend in-person meetings will be provided with virtual alternatives.
Benefits of Youth Builders
- Improved job readiness
- Resume building experiences
- Interview practice workshops
- Enhanced pathway to paid apprenticeship
- Hands-on experience with our Virtual Simulation Lab
- Waived Apprentice School application fee ($45)
Ready to Apply?
Applications for our 2025-2026 school year have closed.
Applications will reopen in March 2026 for the 2026-2027 Program
For more information about the Youth Builders pre-apprenticeship program, email us at [email protected]
