Photo Release — Huntington Ingalls Industries Celebrates 154 Graduates of The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding in Drive-in Theater-style Ceremony

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) hosted commencement exercises on Saturday for 154 graduates of the company’s Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding. Due to the COVID-19 environment, and in an effort to keep all employees, staff, graduates and their guests safe, the ceremony was held outdoors at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton.

“A drive-in movie-style graduation is likely not what you expected, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that the past year in many ways isn’t what any of us expected,” said Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding.

“Graduating from The Apprentice School is not an easy feat and when you couple the long hours balancing your work and your studies, along with new obstacles you faced this year, like remote learning and working with your entire family in the same area, it makes this accomplishment even more extraordinary,” Boykin told the graduates. “The lessons you’ve learned during the past year have molded you in a way unlike any other apprenticeship experience. The past 12 months, with all its twists and turns it’s brought, have helped train you for challenges yet to come. It is your ability to adapt and your innovative spirit that will help Newport News Shipbuilding continue to thrive, and it’s that spirit that will help our United States Navy be the absolute best it can be.”

The commencement address was delivered by Howard Hoege III, president of The Mariners' Museum and Park, in Newport News, who shared a message on leadership.

“You’re graduating from a leadership program that puts your leadership development on par with the development of your technical competency,” Hoege said. “Fully commit to being the best leader you can be. Fully commit to being the best servant leader that you can be, and I promise you your decision to go all in for your people will have an impact beyond what you can predict or imagine today. That’s true for the teams where you serve as leaders and it’s true for the impact you’ll have on every single individual that you have the honor of leading.”

Mark Byerly received the Homer L. Ferguson Award, which recognizes the apprentice graduating with the highest honors. A nuclear test technician at the Kenneth A. Kesselring Site in
Ballston Spa, New York, Byerly completed his associate degree in electrical engineering at Tidewater Community College in December 2020. He continues to work towards a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology and a minor in mechanical engineering technology from Old Dominion University.