NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Thursday morning, Huntington Ingalls Industries announced the company would partner with the Virginia Ready Initiative to help retrain and possibly hire out-of-work Virginians.
Huntington Ingalls, the parent company for the Newport News Shipyard, will be offering financial support, curriculum tips and job fairs for some participants in the nonprofit program.
The partnership is intended to help unemployed people get skilled jobs in the state, by partnering with hiring businesses and providing fast-tracked training courses through community colleges.
The chairman for Virginia Ready, Glenn Youngkin, said the state's economy critically needs to get people back in paying jobs, and the manufacturing, technology and healthcare industries are poised to hire.
“Employer engagement is critical to retraining thousands of Virginians for in-demand jobs," Youngkin wrote.
Between mid-March and mid-June, 850,000 Virginians applied for unemployment benefits through the Virginia Employment Commission. The spike in applications corresponded with a pandemic-driven economic downturn.
Virginia Ready also partners with Dominion Energy, Sentara Healthcare, Bon Secours Richmond and Northrop Grumman, among other businesses.
To apply for training, visit the organization's website.
