GSSC Announces Fall Meeting
The Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium (GSSC) announced that its fall meeting will be held October 18-19, at the Holiday Inn in Mobile’s historic district. Highlights of the meeting include a presentation by U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope). Byrne will deliver an Update from Washington at the official meeting kick-off at the recently opened GulfQuest Maritime Museum on Oct. 18. Byrne is a member of the prestigious House Rules Committee, Committee on Armed Services, and Committee on Education and the Workforce and is a member of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus.
Porter Receives GSSC’s Navigator Award
Larry Porter, Master Trainer at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, was the recipient of the Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium’s 2014 Navigator Award. Each year, GSSC honors an individual who has displayed outstanding leadership or made other significant contributions to the development of the maritime workforce. Porter received the award at the organization’s annual meeting held in Biloxi, Mississippi, April 2‐3, 2014. According to Byron Dunn, GSSC’s president, “Over the years that I have been honored to be associated with Larry…
Mississippi Lt. Governor to Speak at GSSC Summer Meeting
Mississippi’s Lt. Governor Tate Reeves and VT Halter Marine’s Executive Vice President John Prendergast are slated to deliver keynote addresses at the Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium’s (GSSC) summer meeting scheduled August 21‐22, 2013, in Ocean Springs. The Lt. Governor’s remarks will focus on Mississippi’s continued efforts to improve the quality of its workforce. “A strong, well‐trained workforce is key to attracting and retaining quality jobs, like those in the shipbuilding industry,” Lt. Governor Reeves said. Prendergast will talk about workforce development from a business owner’s perspective focusing on the importance of a skilled workforce.
Speakers Set for GSSC Summer Meeting
Mississippi’s Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves and VT Halter Marine’s Executive Vice President John Prendergast are slated to deliver keynote addresses at the Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium’s (GSSC) summer meeting scheduled August 21‐22, 2013, in Ocean Springs. The Lt. Governor’s remarks will focus on Mississippi’s continued efforts to improve the quality of its workforce. “A strong, well‐trained workforce is key to attracting and retaining quality jobs, like those in the shipbuilding industry,” Lt. Governor Reeves said. Prendergast will talk about workforce development from a business owner’s perspective focusing on the importance of a skilled workforce.
Insights: John Lotshaw, Gulf Coast Director of Training and Workforce Development Ingalls Shipbuilding
When it comes to training, recruitment and retention issues – serious matters facing all maritime employers today – John Lotshaw probably knows better than most; what’s best for you. And, no matter what end of the maritime business model that you hail from, the challenge of hiring good people, training them and keeping them on payroll is an ongoing problem. Lotshaw joined Ingalls Shipbuilding in August of 2002 as the Director of Trades at the Avondale Site, responsible for workforce development and training and Operations support.
Shipbuilders Rely On Training To Fill Crafts Jobs
With skilled craftsmen in short supply in U.S. coastal areas, many shipbuilders turn to their own, sometimes extensive, internal training. Because fewer young people are entering shipbuilding out of high school, the industry is faced with an aging workforce that will soon have to be replaced. As good jobs for shipfitters and welders go begging, industry leaders say it's way past time to spread the word about these opportunities. Pascagoula, Miss.-based John Lotshaw directs Operations Workforce Training and Development at Huntington-Ingalls Industries (HII).
GSSC Shipfitter Boot Camp Produces 18 for Industry
12 Graduate from GSSC Shipfitter Boot Camp and Have Jobs Waiting for Them. In November 2011, 18 individuals started an intensive 10-week shipfitter boot camp that was developed by the Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium (GSSC) to prepare workers for entry-level employment in the maritime industry. Before an invitation was extended to participate in the training program, candidates completed prequalification activities that included drug testing, WorkKeys® assessments, industry presentations, shipyard tours, and interviews. On Thursday, March 1, the 12 individuals who successfully completed the pilot program participated in a graduation ceremony hosted by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) at its Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center (AMTC) in Gulfport, Mississippi.
National Initiative Launched by Maritime Industry Leaders
The high cost of recruiting, hiring and training the thousands of skilled shipbuilding and repair professionals needed across the country each year, coupled with the need to increase productivity has left executives in the industry searching for answers. In response to this need, industry leaders recently launched a national initiative called the Lighthouse Campaign. On December 6-7, 2011, the leadership team of the Lighthouse Campaign sent representatives to a meeting at NCCER headquarters in Alachua, Florida.
