On April 29, Newport News Shipbuilding’s Apprentice School welcomed 19 members of the Youth Builders 2024-2025 cohort and their families to the program’s closing ceremony. The ceremony celebrated the high school students’ accomplishments and growth, and served as a chance for the students to reflect on their time in the program as well as look ahead to their next steps.

For 13 Youth Builders, this meant formally accepting offers to attend The Apprentice School after graduation.

Former Youth Builder Johnathan Keese Jr. (X43) hosted the ceremony and offered his insight into the transition from Youth Builder to apprentice. “It’s amazing just how large the shipyard is,” he said. “Every boat you see, it’s like a titan. Every inch, cubic meter, foot, everything that you will see and use is a little nugget of expertise that someone left behind. If you act the part, you can be the part.”

Alexis Dekrone, a senior at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, is one of those Youth Builders excited to begin a career with The Apprentice School. “Growing up, my dad always told me stories of the yard and what he would do day to day. That inspired me to find a career where I can work with my hands,” she said.

Dekrone realized the Youth Builders program would be the closest she could get to the shipyard before becoming an actual apprentice. “It’s made me more confident in my decision to become an apprentice and it’s made me more comfortable going into new environments. It made me realize that I won’t just be working at the shipyard – I’ll be meeting new people who are amazing and forming friendships.”

The Youth Builders pre-apprenticeship program is currently accepting applications for their 2025-2026 cohort.

The program is open to 11th and 12th grade students in public, private or home schools throughout Hampton Roads who have an interest in shipbuilding careers. The Youth Builders vision is to encourage, empower and recruit the next generation of leaders in digital shipbuilding by improving their job readiness skills to become high-performance craftspeople in the shipbuilding trades.

To be eligible for the program, applicants must be rising juniors or seniors and hold a GPA of at least a 2.0 with a grade of C or better in math and science classes.

Applications close on May 16.

For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.as.edu/youth-builders to submit an application.