NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Navy awarded nearly $77 billion in contracts to HII and General Dynamics Electric Boat, bringing new submarine construction work to Newport News Shipbuilding and promising long-term job stability for the Hampton Roads region.
Newport News Shipbuilding will deliver six additional Virginia-class submarines to the Navy and will construct module sections for Columbia-class submarines as part of the contracts.
Shawn Avery, president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, said the region's training infrastructure is ready to meet the demand. His organization established the Hampton Roads Maritime Training System to help prepare workers for jobs at Newport News Shipbuilding and other local shipyards.
"The Hampton Roads Maritime Training System is producing 5,000 to 6,000 people per year and it has the ability to ramp up even more, so yes, we feel fairly confident there's enough people in the industry interested in this," Avery said.
Avery said the length of the contracts should provide meaningful reassurance to current and prospective workers.
"We're looking at contracts through 2038. That's to me — if I was in the workforce or looking to get in the workforce — it's job stability," Avery said.
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, who News 3 previously spoke with in 2023 about workforce challenges in the shipbuilding industry, said conditions have improved but more work remains.
"I think it's gotten better, but we still have work to do," Kaine said.
Kaine added that long-term contracts make workforce recruitment and supply chain management more manageable.
"Good news on the workforce, and it's actually easier to get the workforce and get the supply chain straight when you have long-term contracts," Kaine said.
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said he has been working with HII on efforts to better retain talent within the workforce.
"I'm supportive of HII being able to use some of their contract money up front to up the pay and quality of that workforce," Warner said.
Kaine and Warner both said the additional submarines are critical to national security.
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