Photo Release — Huntington Ingalls Industries Celebrates 154 Graduates of The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding in Drive-in Theater-style Ceremony - Seite 2

In his pre-recorded remarks to graduates, Byerly discussed his many setbacks, his joining the U.S. Marines and his first job at the shipyard working as an electrician on the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

“The one thing I’ve found, the one thing I continue to see is that we will all fail at some point — it’s how you get back up and keep fighting that makes the difference,” said Byerly, 32, a husband and father of two children. “Whether you choose to let your failures define your life, or you use them to shape and mold you, to power through them and allow them to build you into maybe not who you wanted to be, or where you saw yourself being, but to where you are meant to be in life. Failure is inherent to life. But what’s not inherent, and what takes real courage, and real strength, is standing back up after you’ve been knocked down and pressing on.”

Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/releases/apprentice-school-clas ....

Replay coverage of the ceremony will be available on https://nns.huntingtoningalls.com/graduation.

The following is a profile of the graduating class:

• 69 completed an optional, advanced program, earning an associate or bachelor’s degree. The program includes coursework in subjects such as marine design, production planning, modeling and simulation, and marine engineering. (11 bachelor’s degrees, 58 associate degrees)
• 83 earned honors, a combination of academic and craft grades that determine overall performance.
• 69 completed the Advanced Shipyard Operations Program, allowing them to continue their postsecondary education, expand their experience in waterfront operations and develop leadership skills to improve the quality and efficiency of production, manufacturing and maintenance processes.
• 21 completed Frontline FAST, an accelerated skills training program for potential foremen.
• 14 inducted into The National Society of Leadership Success.
• 16 completed the World Class Shipbuilder Curriculum and advance optional program with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
• 10 are military veterans or are currently serving in the armed services as reservists and guardsmen, representing every branch of the military.
• 16 earned athletic awards.