Takedown Report

More Than a Game: How Newport News Shipbuilding Uses Collegiate Sports to Close the Skills Gap

The following story was written for the Manufacturing Skills Institute newsletter by Wes Smith, the Executive Director of Workforce Solutions at MSI.
NEWPORT NEWS – As student debt rises and the promise of a four-year degree delivering a stable career grows less certain, more young people are rethinking the traditional college path. At the same time, employers nationwide face growing challenges in filling skilled positions. The Apprentice School offers a very innovative solution to this—one that combines accredited education, competitive athletics, and a full-time career into a single, debt-free pathway to career success.
With seven NCAA Division III athletic programs—football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s wrestling, baseball, and golf—The Apprentice School delivers the same high-level competition and team experience found at universities, but with a major distinction: graduates leave with nationally recognized trade credentials, years of work experience, and a career at one of the most advanced shipyards in the world.
A Proven Record of Success

• 12 National Championships and 16 Individual National Championships
• 175 current Apprentice Athletes representing 19 states
• Over 500 athletic alumni still with the company—250+ from the year 2000 onward
• 40+ former athletes in upper management at Newport News Shipbuilding … more at … https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46141528/two-vanderbilt-players-suing-ncaa-extend-eligibility

September 13, 2025 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized