Baldwin County News

Alabama shipbuilder Austal USA said it graduated 28 youth apprentices into full-time paid positions this spring. The apprentices are recent high school graduates from schools throughout Mobile and Baldwin County and completed seven weeks of training at the Alabama Industrial Development Training facility adjacent to Austal’s campus.“Austal USA is excited to have hired 28 Youth Apprentices into full-time Fabrication Trade Assistant positions,” Austal USA Workforce Development Manager Ryan Lee said. “The Youth Apprenticeship program is a special program.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy brought tornadoes and flooding to the U.S. Gulf Coast on Thursday and its heavy rains will drench much of the eastern United States in coming days, forecasters said. Flooding and road closures stretched from east Texas into northwestern Florida after Cindy made landfall early on Thursday near the Louisiana-Texas border and weakened to a tropical depression, the National Weather Service said. Cindy is expected to dump 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 cm) of rain as it heads north and east into the Ohio Valley and the Appalachian Mountains through Saturday, said Brian Hurley, a weather service meteorologist. Totals could reach 9 inches (22.5 cm) in some areas. "We're looking at quite a bit of rain. That's going to be the main threat," he said.

Randive, a commercial diving company based in New Jersey, is employing underwater metal detectors in their search and salvage operations. The company was founded in 1959 by Randor Erlandson, and in the early days focused primarily on the needs of the maritime industry around the ports of New York and New Jersey. In the decades since, the company has greatly expanded its operations increasing its staff to 16, and adding as its clients some of the largest shipping companies in the world.

The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce has recently confirmed that Austal topped the list of local manufacturers for having the most employees. Austal’s U.S. facility now has 1,257 full-time employees, up from just under 900 in the beginning of the year. Austal’s recruiting staff was challenged in the beginning of the year with hiring 100 qualified applicants a month and are predicted to continue to do so through May and June. Since January, Austal has added 370 new employees to our staff. The majority of the new-hires are from the Mobile/Baldwin County communities, ranging in age from 18 to 64 years, including 35 veterans. They do this through various venues…

In June 2002, the fast expanding Austal USA yard, in Mobile, AL, introduced an apprenticeship program to its recruitment efforts. Since then, this program has introduced three classes to its shipbuilding curriculum, which is recognized by the U.S. Labor Board, and has successfully entered into its second year of operation. Shortly after Austal USA opened its new aluminum shipbuilding facility in February 2001, they joined forces with the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and Bishop State Community College to formulate a 2-year program: Recent high school graduates of Mobile and Baldwin County would be hired as full-time Austal employees (working 34 hours a week in our purpose-built facility) as part of an apprenticeship program.

In June 2002, the fast expanding Austal USA yard, in Mobile, AL, introduced an apprenticeship program to its recruitment efforts. Since then, this program has introduced three classes to its shipbuilding curriculum, which is recognized by the U.S. Labor Board, and has successfully entered into its second year of operation. Shortly after Austal USA opened its new aluminum shipbuilding facility in February 2001, they joined forces with the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and Bishop State Community College to formulate a 2-year program: Recent high school graduates of Mobile and Baldwin County would be hired as full-time Austal employees (working 34 hours a week in our purpose-built facility) as part of an apprenticeship program.

The U.S. Navy has awarded a team that includes Austal USA, a $79 million contract to develop a final design for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), along with options to build two ships. Total contract value including both shipbuilding options is $536 million. With its unrivalled expertise in large, high-speed aluminum vessels, Austal, as the designer and builder of the proposed LCS vessels, is a major contributor to the team which is led by General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works. The team’s…