On June 12, the San Diego Workforce Partnership and San Diego Metro Career Centers held a General Dynamics NASSCO recruitment event at the Jacobs Center. NASSCO has been designing and building ships since 1960, specializing in auxiliary and support ships for the U.S. Navy and oil tankers and dry cargo carriers for commercial markets. They were seeking to fill Student Ship Fitter and Student Ship Welder positions.
Business Services Representatives from South County Career Center, South County Career Center and San Diego Metro Career Centers scheduled appointments with qualified candidates before the event—identifying job seekers’ with the skills NASSCO wanted. Long lines formed as all of the nearly 150 scheduled candidates attended hiring sessions throughout the day.
The customized recruitment event consisted of a three-part, three-hour long assessment that measured math, reading and writing skills. Participants who passed the assessment moved to the second phase, which consisted of a series of questions to determine if they would be a fit to work at the NASSCO facilities. Once they passed the interview, they were given a yard ticket, which signified an offer of employment pending a drug and alcohol test. Sixty-four candidates received what many started referring to as their “golden ticket.”
Among those receiving offers of employment were the son and daughter of a 30-year NASSCO veteran who were enthusiastic about making the work a family affair. Another older, displaced worker who spent many months working with the career center was offered a job after a tiresome, long-term period of unemployment.
Student Ship Fitters Welders start out making $12.25 per hour during their 8-week training with opportunities to progress through a career pathway to positions paying up to $24.12 per hour.
A NASSCO recruiter commented that this was the most successful recruitment event the company has ever held. All event partners are already discussing planning future customized recruitments and expanding the scope to fill positions across multiple departments.