Department of Labor Announces $14 Million for Shipbuilding Training
The Department of Labor is investing approximately $14 million into U.S. agencies to initiate a program aimed at training American workers for the shipbuilding sector. This comes in response to President Trump’s initiative to revitalize the industry.
Currently, the U.S. shipbuilding sector is not keeping pace with competitors like China. The Labor Department’s new program seeks to create “cutting-edge training programs” in collaboration with U.S. allies, ensuring that workers can acquire the necessary skills for the shipbuilding trade.
Of the total funding, Delaware County Community College will receive $8 million, with support from Hanwa Philadelphia Shipyards and South Korea. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy is set to get $5.8 million in collaboration with Finland and Bollinger Shipyards to enhance advanced shipbuilding skills for American workers.
This initiative aims to create a professional trade curriculum recognized internationally, which would, in turn, boost apprenticeship programs in the U.S.
“Restoring America’s maritime dominance requires a skilled labor force,” said Labor Secretary Lori Chavez Delemer in a statement. “These projects are essential for training the next generation of shipbuilders and ensuring that the skills critical for revitalizing the industry are developed domestically.”
The U.S. significantly trails behind its peers, such as South Korea and Japan, in shipbuilding.
According to statistics from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, China dominates the global shipbuilding industry, accounting for over 50%. South Korea follows with about 29%, and Japan holds around 13%. In stark contrast, the United States comprises only 0.1% of the world’s shipbuilding output.
A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies emphasizes that the decline in shipbuilding capabilities poses threats to military readiness and economic opportunities, contributing to China’s ambitions on the global stage.
Meanwhile, Finnish companies design around 80% of the world’s icebreakers and build more than 60% of them.
Trump previously expressed intentions to revive both commercial and military shipbuilding during meetings with lawmakers, signing an executive order focused on rejuvenating the U.S. shipbuilding sector. This order called for various agencies to strategize on increasing financial support, including through the Defense Production Act and a new Maritime Security Trust Fund.
It also mandated the development of maritime action plans and instructed the U.S. Trade Representative to compile recommendations to counter “anticompetitive conduct” from China in the shipbuilding market.
