Can SWRMC train new apprentices to become Shipbuilding Specialist, in Code 300 to take my place?

Background: Building Ships, Building Jobs
(Source: American Shipbuilding Association, Nov. 2009)
The U.S. defense shipbuilding industry is one of the largest manufacturing and economic drivers in the country. The U.S. shipbuilding industry employs approximately 300,000 people in 49 states, and is comprised of 6 major shipyards and more than 4,000 first-tier companies that manufacture ship systems and components. This does not begin to count the thousands of additional second-tier and third-tier suppliers. Years of underinvestment in shipbuilding has resulted in a major contraction of the industry. Thousands of jobs have been lost, and scores of companies have exited the shipbuilding business. The Department of Defense needs to be more proactive than reactive about strengthening the industrial base because, "DOD doesn't manufacture anything. We have to rely on industry."

If we are to compete successfully within this current environment, management must have the courage to empower its employees to make decisions that will help SWRMC recognize it's full potential by training its Shipbuilding Specialist to the current GS-12 level to make the correct deck plate evaluations, based on uniform guidelines, instructions and approval by the NAVSEA commands.

Most of the fully qualified Shipbuilding Specialists are near retirement age and very soon we will lose a tremendous amount of corporate knowledge. The military and contractor personnel hired to take their place do not have the skill sets or training to do the job and must spend about 2 years in an "On the Job" training mode in order to function at full operational speed.

A fully trained and qualified Shipbuilding Specialist can save SWRMC money in the long run by providing the proper tools to reduce shipbuilding cost overruns by the contractor and meet mission requirements.

The experienced Shipbuilding Specialist, by their leadership, guidance and training, will lead the way for younger interns, apprentices, and military personnel to take their place in the Shipbuilding Industry. Let's work together to empower our employees and make this happen to win the Department of Defense Maintenance Award for SWRMC!