Have you heard? The secret is out about skilled trades in Hampton Roads! ⚓🛠️The demand for maritime training is skyrocketing—so much so that students are actually waiting to get into these programs right now! People are finally recognizing how valuable and lucrative these career pathways are for our community.
To make sure there is room for everyone, our amazing local community colleges have massively expanded their physical capacity for programming:
✅ VPCC just opened a brand new 16,000-square-foot trades facility!
✅ Paul D. Camp has a new 15,000-square-foot facility!
✅ TCC has officially increased its presence in Portsmouth! We are growing to make sure nobody gets left behind.
🗣️ Parents, high schoolers, and career-changers: SHARE this post to spread the word about these incredible local opportunities! Have questions about getting started? Drop them in the comments below! 👇
Virginia Ship Repair Association
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08/18/2026
Today, we are thrilled to highlight Kenneth Lopez, the Assistant Supervisor for the Inside Machine Shop at Lyon Shipyard and Fabrication.
Kenneth is a dedicated leader who consistently raises the bar for production standards and workplace safety. When his department needed him most, Kenneth seamlessly stepped up to assume leadership responsibilities, ensuring workflow and production goals were met without disruption. Whether he is leading monthly safety briefings, creating a peer-recognition system for safe practices, or mentoring junior machinists on the shop floor, Kenneth is a driving force behind his team's success.
Thank you, Kenneth, for your steady leadership and commitment to excellence in the ship repair industry! ⚙️👏
Have we defined "success" too narrowly for our young people? 🤔
For too long, the dominant message was that a four-year university was the only pathway to a great career. In the newest episode of Ship Repair Radio, Todd Estes, VP of Workforce Development at Virginia Peninsula Community College, tackles this misconception head-on.
From essential HVAC techs saving the day in 110-degree heat to maritime professionals building our future, the skilled trades offer incredible, high-paying careers without the massive student debt. You don't have to start at a university to be successful.
🎙️ Watch the clip below and let us know your thoughts in the comments! You can listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform.
08/17/2026
🎙️ NEW EPISODE LIVE: The Secret Formula of Maritime Workforce Creation!
Are we doing enough to attract young people to the trades? On Episode 009 of Ship Repair Radio, host John Polowczyk is joined by Todd Estes to discuss the realities (and massive successes) of maritime workforce creation in Hampton Roads.
Todd offers a direct look at how the community college system is changing the game for both students and employers.
Key takeaways from this episode:
✅ Accelerated Upskilling: How the Marine Trades Training program prepares entry-level talent in just 2-3 weeks (80-120 hours).
✅ The "One Door" Advantage: How the Community College Workforce Cooperative (CCWC) makes it seamless for regional employers to partner collectively with our local colleges.
✅ Record-High Demand: The reality of waitlists for trades programs, and the 16,000-square-foot facility expansions ensuring no student is turned away.
✅ Elevating the Trades: Why we must change the narrative and recognize ship repairers as elite "maritime professionals."
🎧 Listen on the go or watch the full interview here:
📺 YouTube: https://youtu.be/cm3Ta7dy_XI
🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033F5IYE19Xf0ZD4mZNgiV?si=721057db990145d1
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vsra-ship-repair-radio/id6784696060
🛒 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b77ad4c7-bb78-4952-bec1-4597d5d4ce10/vsra-ship-repair-radio
🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/vashiprepair
Are our school systems missing the boat when it comes to career readiness? 🚢
Congressman Wittman is calling for a stronger focus on the "Three E's": Enlistment, Enrollment, and Employment. While college is a great option for many, we must also support our experiential learners who have the skills to power our industry today.
Do you think our current educational model provides enough support for trade certifications? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Check out this clip from Ship Repair Radio: https://youtu.be/8vnEJxhdCR4
08/14/2026
Where exactly is the next generation of our maritime workforce coming from? 🤔🚢
In a brand new episode of Ship Repair Radio dropping this Monday at 8 AM, host John Polowczyk sits down with Todd Estes, Vice President of Workforce Development & Innovation at Virginia Peninsula Community College.
They’re diving deep into the massive progress our regional community colleges have made to create a nearly debt-free pipeline straight to the deck plates. If your company is feeling the pinch of the skilled trades shortage, you won't want to miss this conversation about how we are rapidly upskilling entry-level talent right here in Hampton Roads.
Tune in Monday morning on your favorite platform! 🎙️
📺 YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXgMKFn7KX6Y&si=F2fTpPo26L4EI0N8
🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033F5IYE19Xf0ZD4mZNgiV?si=721057db990145d1
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vsra-ship-repair-radio/id6784696060
🛒 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b77ad4c7-bb78-4952-bec1-4597d5d4ce10/vsra-ship-repair-radio
🔗 All Links: https://linktr.ee/vashiprepair
08/12/2026
What an incredible General Membership Luncheon we had with Congresswoman Jen Kiggans yesterday!
As a Navy veteran, Congresswoman Kiggans shared her understanding of the necessity of fleet readiness. We were honored to have her address our 340 member companies about the massive impact the Hampton Roads maritime industrial base has on our national security. With over 79,000 jobs and nearly $11 billion in regional economic impact, our local ship repair workforce is the backbone of the Navy's maintenance and modernization!
During her keynote, the Congresswoman highlighted several critical priorities that directly impact our industry, including the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), ship service life and infrastructure, cutting the red tape, and championing career and technical education (CTE) programs to help with future ship repairers.
"Every time I meet someone that works in a shipyard, I just say thank you... We would be nowhere as a country, we would be nowhere as a Navy, without you guys." – Congresswoman Kiggans
Thank you, Congresswoman, for your advocacy for our industry, for engaging with members before, during, and after the luncheon, and for joining us! Let’s keep working together to keep our ships ready and our nation secure.
Should forward-deployed Navy ships come back to Hampton Roads for repairs?
Congressman Rob Wittman says YES.
In this highlight from Ship Repair Radio, Rep. Rob Wittman explains why new DDGs belong in Norfolk and why deep-dive maintenance for the fleet needs to be brought back to the United States. Enforcing these requirements is critical for our region's ship repair industry and the readiness of our naval forces.
#757
08/10/2026
🎙️ NEW EPISODE LIVE!
Congressman Rob Wittman joins Ship Repair Radio to tackle the tough realities of naval readiness and the industrial base. We dive into why the Navy needs to ditch 1-by-1 contracting, the urgent push for more ships homeported in Norfolk, and how data tools like Ship OS can modernize shipyard maintenance.
Listen to the episode now:
📺 YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXgMKFn7KX6Y&si=Yuf1OGCxp4kD-o01
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033F5IYE19Xf0ZD4mZNgiV?si=721057db990145d1
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vsra-ship-repair-radio/id6784696060
🎵 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b77ad4c7-bb78-4952-bec1-4597d5d4ce10/vsra-ship-repair-radio
08/07/2026
This Monday at 8 AM on Ship Repair Radio, John Polowczyk sits down with Rep. Rob Wittman . We’re going beyond the "shiny objects" of new ship construction to discuss what it really takes to sustain the fleet. From the push to bundle maintenance contracts to solving the maritime workforce crisis with the "Three E's," you won't want to miss this vital conversation.
Catch the premiere on Monday morning:
📺 YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXgMKFn7KX6Y&si=Yuf1OGCxp4kD-o01
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033F5IYE19Xf0ZD4mZNgiV?si=721057db990145d1
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vsra-ship-repair-radio/id6784696060
🎵 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b77ad4c7-bb78-4952-bec1-4597d5d4ce10/vsra-ship-repair-radio
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101 W Main Street, Suite 5500
Norfolk, VA
23510
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| Monday | 8:30am - 4:30pm |
| Tuesday | 8:30am - 4:30pm |
| Wednesday | 8:30am - 4:30pm |
| Thursday | 8:30am - 4:30pm |
| Friday | 8:30am - 4:30pm |