- The Apprentice School
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Coordinates: 36°59′26.5″N 76°25′58″W / 36.990694°N 76.43278°W
The Apprentice School 
Established 1919 Type four-year apprenticeship program Academic staff 16 academic instructors, 50+ craft instructors [1] Students 725 Location Newport News, VA, USA Campus Urban/shipyard Colors Maroon and Gold and black Mascot Builders Website www.apprenticeschool.com The Apprentice School (also known as Newport News Apprentice School) is a four-year apprenticeship vocational school founded and operated by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia. The school trains students for careers in the shipbuilding industry. It is not a traditional college in that it does not grant degrees -- associate's degrees earned by students in the program are earned through Thomas Nelson Community College -- but it does compete athletically with other small colleges.
Contents
History
The school was established on July 1, 1919 by issue of Executive Order No. 24 at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, signed by General manager Homer L. Ferguson.
Admissions
Admissions is competitive, although an exact admission rate is not known. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Monthly selection meetings are held at which all qualified applicants are considered for available openings. Offers are extended to applicants whom the Admissions Office determines to be best qualified for the openings available.
Successful candidates are offered both employment at Newport News Shipbuilding and enrollment at the Apprentice School. Each successful candidate will be scheduled for a medical examination that includes a substance abuse screening test administered by Newport News Shipbuilding's Medical Department. Employment and enrollment is contingent on the results of the medical examination. Candidates to whom an offer is extended will be subject to a United States Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.[2]
Academics
All apprentices are required to complete the School's "World Class Shipbuilder Curriculum" and applicable courses in the "Trade Related Education Curriculum." The curriculum gives students the opportunity to earn an associate degree from Thomas Nelson Community College.
Apprenticeships are offered in 17 skilled trades:
- Heating & Air Conditioning
- Pipefitter & Pipefitter - Maintenance
- Painter-Insulator
- Outside Machinist
- Heavy Metal Fabricator
- Non-Destructive Tester (NDT)
- Shipfitter
- Welder & Welding Equipment Repair
- Dimensional Control Technician
- Machinist
- Sheet Metal Worker
- Rigger
- Electrician
- Electrician Maintenance
- Millwright
Advanced programs are offered in five areas:
- Marine Designer
- Modeling & Simulation
- Nuclear Test Technician
- Production Planner
- Advanced Shipyard Operations
The Apprentice School was first awarded accreditation by the Commission on Occupational Education Institutions, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1982. In 1995, it transferred its accreditation from there to the Accrediting Commission of the Council on Occupational Education.
Campus
The school is physically located at Northrop Grumman Corporation's Newport News Sector (formally Newport News Shipbuilding). Some of the upper-level academic courses are taken at Thomas Nelson Community College.
Athletics
Main article: Apprentice Builders
The Apprentice School BuilderThe Apprentice School fields six Division III-Level athletic teams, but because it does not grant degrees, it is not affiliated with the NCAA or NAIA.
Apprentice's football team is a member of the Atlantic Central Football Conference and is coached by Mike Vite. The wrestling team is a member of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association, and men's and women's basketball, men's golf and baseball are all part of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.
Notes
- ^ "Apprentice School of Shipbuilding - Academics". http://www.apprenticeschool.com/academics.html. Retrieved 2007-07-09.
- ^ "The Apprentice School - Online Application Questionnaire". http://application.apprenticeschool.com/. Retrieved 2006-04-16.
References
External links
Categories:- Educational institutions established in 1919
- Northrop Grumman
- Vocational education
- Universities and colleges in Virginia
- Education in Newport News, Virginia
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