Va shipyards jobs?

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Hi all I am very new to the site and I must say I am glad I found it..I have a few questions reguarding the Va shipyards. Before I start with the questions I will give everyone a little background on me to help everyone answer. I have been working at Goodyear tire and rubber for 13yrs as a tire builder and for the last yr been going to school for welding.I have just about completed my all position SMAW test all I have left is overhead to get my certs.I have a great work record and a family to feed. #1 Do the shipyards layoff often?   #2What is the pay rate for a structual welder? #3 Insurance and 401? #4 How do they feel about hiring someone green as me out of school? Any and all help would be greatly appreiciated....thanks Perry     PS I hope I posted this in the correct area...Millermatic 200 with aluminum gun, 2005 Cummins blowin smoke, 89 Conquest tsi, 09 WRX, and enjoy welding.
Reply:Hi Ironside I can answer some of these.I've been here a year plus and have not heard of any lay offs yet and the docks are always full.  Rates vary but starting from what I have been told by my instructors is $14 - $20hr.  Insurance is offered and varies on what you pay and what is offered but I don't know about 401k at the yards but I do at a heavy equipment manufacturer.  All of the yards and companies that are not involved with ships hire greenhorns and there are many places around here to choose from if you don't want the ship yard bit.  The yards can be rough and very dirty even with all of the changes that have taken place over the years.  Northrup Gruman has announced plans to sell off the ship yard here and will be closing two yards in LA so things aren't certain with that company.  BAE systems is another you should look into as they have a good apprenticeship program and education program.  Got to http://pilotonline.com/ to the employment section and start out with ship repair section and check other area's there as well.
Reply:Thanks for the information, I also work third shift, call or text me when you wake up I go in at 9pm tonight. or call me in the morning....thanksMillermatic 200 with aluminum gun, 2005 Cummins blowin smoke, 89 Conquest tsi, 09 WRX, and enjoy welding.
Reply:Ironside,You may want to contact "Wheelchair" over on Hobart.  He worked at NN Shipbuilding (now Grummand) for many years.  They have one of the best apprentice schools in the country.I see on the news quite frequently (Channel 3) where several of the smaller yards/subcontractors are advertising for "experienced welders".  Just don't expect to make what some of the pipeliner guys make for a days work.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Thanks Sundown I will see what I can find....Looking to get my feet wet before I commit to move.Millermatic 200 with aluminum gun, 2005 Cummins blowin smoke, 89 Conquest tsi, 09 WRX, and enjoy welding.
Reply:Ironsides,I work at the Northrop Grumman shipyard, as a engineer, not a welder, but hopefully i can give you a pretty good idea of what is going on.The hourly trades are unionized here in the yard, and as such have their own benefits package that is differnt from mine as a salaried employee, but i do know they provide competitive health insurance, and a retirement package of some kind.I did a quick search on our career site and found  this position  that appears to fit your qualifications. X18 does all of our structral welding, which we define as the hull, decks, bulkheads, foundations, etc.  There are also sometimes welding positions in the pipe shops that will show up as X18 or X42 depending on the shop.  You have to keep an eye on the career site as it changes all the time.As Sundown mentioned, we have a great Apprentice School which allows you to get paid while you go to school for an associates degree, which you can then use to get a bachelors at a 4 year school, which the company will pay for, but you have to do on your own time. The apprentice school starts at $15/hr for a 40 hour week, which I believe is similar to the starting salary for regular trades.  Experience is taken into account with regard to starting salary.You do have to qualify for a DoD security clearance for most areas of the yard, and you must be an American citizen.It is true that Northrop is looking to spin off the shipbuilding part of the company, mainly due to the fact that we are heavy manufacturing and we don't generate the same profit margins as their high-tech computer systems sectors that have much less overhead.  There is nearly zero risk of the yard closing anytime in the near future, our buisness is fundamentally different from the LA shipyards the company has decided to close.  We are the only part of the NG shipbuilding business that does Naval Nuclear Propulsion work, which puts us in a unique position.  Hope that gives you something to go on, let me know if you have any other questions about the company specifically.If it doesn't fit, you aren't hitting it hard enough!Miller AerowaveMiller Radiator 1A4.5" DeWalt (with the paddle switch!)Jackson NexGen Helmet