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Newport News Apprentice School Set To Celebrate Its 75th Anniversary Just inside the 37th Street gate at Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) in Virginia is a three-story, red brick building housing the yard's Apprentice School, which was es- tablished in 1919. The school, set to celebrate its 75th anniversary next year, opened with 126 students and since then has never had less, and during World War II the student body bal- looned to more than 1,000. Today, when the first shift whistle blows at 7 a.m., 600 young men and women equipped with hard hats, steel toed shoes and books file into the brick building or go to a production job on the waterfront to study and work in 21 different trades. As President Clinton looks for ways to successfully launch a feder- ally-sponsored apprentice program, one NNS Apprentice School gradu- ate, Glen A. Davenport (Class of 1968), who is now president of his own insurance company, thinks Washington should turn to NNS for ideas. "I remember reading how Bill Clinton commissioned a task force that did a study on why European industry was more productive," said Mr. Davenport. "The task force reported that Europe's great competitive advan- tage was the apprentice system found in just about every industry. I re- member thinking that he didn't need to send a task force to Europe to find this out; he just needed to look at Newport News Shipbuilding." Just eight years after Newport News Shipbuilding was founded in 1886, it certified its first apprentice, Norwood Jones. In 1911 the company initiated a system whereby apprentices and other company employees could at- The Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School, which opened in 1919. tend night classes at Newport News public schools. NNS is the largest and one of the most modern shipyards in the west- ern hemisphere, and it currently builds some of the most complex ships afloat, vessels which inclu nuclear-powered aircraft carrie and submarines, with state-of-th art computer technology and pi duction methods. Over its history it has built hu WOOSTER PRODUCTS INC. 1000 Spruce Street. P.O Box 896 Wooster, Ohio 44691 Fax (216) 262-4151 Call Toll Free: (800) 321-4936 Circle 160 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News Circle 311 on Reader Service Card The naval architecture firm of Guido Perla & Associates is a full-service engineering firm serving the marine industry since 1979. From the design of cruise ships, ferries, large factory trawlers and freighters to minor modifications, expertise gained through extensive marine construction experience has been the key to the suc- cess of every GPA project. The in-house design team at GPAincludes experienced engineers in all engineering disciplines. Guido Perla & Associates offers a wide variety of services including: Computer Aided Design Production Engineering Computer Lofting Technical Consulting Regulatory Agency Liaison Preventive Maintenance Programs Mechanical, Electrical & Structural Analysis Stability Analysis GUIDO PERLA & ASSOCIATES, INC. NAVAL ARCHITECTS. MECHANICAL 8, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS 4039 21 st AVE. WEST. SUITE 300 SEATTLE, WA 98199-1252 USA PHONE (206) 285-3232 FAX (206) 285-4225 65' HIGH SPEED, SHALLOW DRAFT. PASSENGER CATAMARAN 149 PASSENGERS The finest vessels Use the finest Safety Treads- Specify NEW DESIGNS BASED ON EXPERIENCE 264' POCKET CRUISE LINER 160 PASSENGERS 280' CASINO RIVER BOAT 2200 PASSENGERS 336' CASINO STERNWHEELER 3000 PASSENGERS SERVICE, QUALITY AND IMAGINATION STAIRMASTER SAFETY TREADS DON'T GAMBLE ON CUSTOMER SAFETY! Passengers may be visually or physically handicapped. Provide the best available anti-slip protection for all passengers by equipping your vessel stairs, ramps and walkways with STAIRMASTER! CALL 1-800-321-4936 FOR SAMPLE OR PRICE QUOTATION iiiiiuii"1 .i.i.ir/ t
