Labor Department funds $13.8 million in shipbuilding workforce training programs

Public information so far describes the programs in broad terms but not as a published list of course titles.

From available documents:

• Delaware County Community College (DCCC) will run a project called “Building the future: U.S. shipbuilding workforce expansion through global collaboration.” It will
  • Create the Southeastern Pennsylvania/International Shipbuilding Fellowship (SPISF) based around the Philadelphia Navy Yard and a fellowship component in South Korea with Hanwha Ocean.
  • Expand shipbuilding-focused apprenticeship programs and develop an internationally recognized shipbuilding curriculum for trades tied to modular construction and shipyard work.
  • Use a train‑the‑trainer model and a transportation/shipbuilding apprenticeship expected to train about 500 apprentices per year by 2027.
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy will use its $5.8M to create hands‑on, advanced shipbuilding training programs in partnership with U.S. shipyards (and, per DOL, focused on modular construction and icebreaker technology), but detailed course lists have not yet been publicly released.

So, the funding is for new fellowships, apprenticeship and technical training tracks in shipbuilding trades (especially modular construction and icebreakers), not for a single named degree, and specific course catalogs have not yet been published.

“Internationally recognized” here refers to a curriculum and training model built and delivered with foreign shipyards and overseas training sites, so that skills and qualifications line up with standards used in major shipbuilding nations.

Evidence from the grants:

• DOL says both projects will create a “specialized, internationally recognized curriculum on shipbuilding trades” developed “in conjunction with international partners” and U.S. shipyards, especially for modular and icebreaker technology.
• For DCCC, grant documentation shows a formal partnership with Hanwha Ocean in South Korea, including an international shipbuilding fellowship in-country at Hanwha’s facilities, and a jointly developed on‑the‑job training and related technical instruction curriculum.
• The broader context of the ICE Pact indicates cooperation with Canada and Finland on icebreaker design and production, which is likely to shape the standards and content used in the icebreaker‑focused parts of the curriculum at both institutions.

Named international partners explicitly identified so far: Hanwha Ocean (South Korea), and—at the government policy level—Canada and Finland for icebreaker‑related collaboration.

Modular shipbuilding technology

• Modular (or “block”) construction means building a ship from large, prefabricated modules/blocks in parallel in a factory or yard, then joining them together.
• This improves speed, cost control, quality, and access for workers, because much of the outfitting and welding is done under cover before modules are assembled.
• Modern shipyards worldwide now rely on modular methods to compete on price and delivery time.

Icebreaker technology

• An icebreaker is a specially designed ship that can safely break and navigate through sea ice, opening routes for other vessels in polar and Arctic waters.
• Icebreaker technology includes a strong, specially shaped hull, powerful propulsion, and systems designed for extreme cold.
• These ships are critical for Arctic shipping lanes, national defense, search and rescue, and scientific missions.

Both technologies matter because:

• Modular construction is key to modern, efficient, high‑volume shipbuilding.
• Icebreaker technology underpins Arctic and polar operations, which are increasingly important for security, trade, and energy as sea ice retreats and geopolitical competition in the Arctic grows.

The shipbuilding grants support the 1‑million‑apprentices goal by creating new, high‑capacity registered apprenticeship and pre‑apprenticeship pipelines in a critical industry:

• DOL states that implementing these shipbuilding programs “advances the department’s goal of reaching 1 million registered apprenticeships nationwide” as part of the president’s manufacturing agenda.
• The DCCC grant plan specifically calls for creation/expansion of a transportation/shipbuilding apprenticeship program targeting about 500 apprentices per year by 2027, plus a larger training pipeline (over 1,400 trainees) that can be replicated by other colleges.
• These apprenticeships will be registered and tied to real jobs in U.S. shipyards, so they count directly toward the national apprenticeship total while also expanding capacity in a strategic sector.

The executive order “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance” (Executive Order 14269, April 9, 2025) is a broad plan to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding and maritime power. Key provisions include:

• Purpose and findings: Declares that U.S. commercial shipbuilding and maritime workforce have been weakened by decades of neglect and foreign subsidies and that revitalization is necessary for economic and national security.
• Creation of a Maritime Action Plan: Directs development of a comprehensive Maritime Action Plan to expand domestic shipbuilding, upgrade shipyards and ports, modernize the merchant marine, and strengthen the maritime industrial base and workforce.
• Agency coordination and regulatory review: Orders the Departments of Defense, Transportation, and Homeland Security and others to review their regulations and programs affecting domestic shipbuilding, port access, and the U.S. fleet, and to remove obstacles or misaligned policies.
• Use of federal procurement and financing: Instructs agencies to use tools such as federal shipbuilding contracts, financing, and loan guarantees to support U.S. yards and U.S.-built vessels where consistent with law.
• Workforce development: Emphasizes training, apprenticeships, and education to rebuild a skilled maritime workforce, and encourages use of existing workforce and apprenticeship programs.

The order sets the policy framework that these Labor Department shipbuilding grants are designed to support, especially on workforce and industrial‑base revitalization.

The Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE) Pact is a trilateral agreement between the United States, Canada, and Finland to work together on Arctic and polar icebreakers.

Main features and commitments:

• It is described as a partnership to “combine collective knowledge, resources, and expertise to produce Arctic and polar icebreakers” and to deliver a major Arctic and maritime investment.
• A July 2024 joint statement by the three countries frames the ICE Pact as an enhanced trilateral partnership to keep the Arctic and polar regions peaceful, cooperative, and prosperous, and to deepen cooperation on economic, climate, and national‑security issues.
• A November 2024 Canadian memorandum of understanding explains that the ICE Pact will “enhance industry collaboration” and coordinate expertise among the three countries, particularly to strengthen industrial capacity for building icebreakers in Canada and Finland while leveraging U.S. demand and technology.
• U.S. maritime regulators (e.g., MARAD) have since sought industry input on which U.S. shipyards can build ice‑capable ships, indicating an intention to route ICE‑related projects into North American and Finnish yards.

In practice, the three governments commit to long‑term cooperation on design, production, and sustainment of icebreakers and related technologies, sharing industrial work and know‑how to expand their combined polar fleet capacity.

Beyond workforce training itself, these projects are framed as supporting U.S. national security and economic prosperity in several concrete ways:

• Strengthening the shipbuilding industrial base: The DOL release says the initiative aims to “reinvigorate and rebuild the U.S. maritime industry and workforce” and to “revitalize and rebuild the U.S. maritime industry and workforce, while also promoting national security and economic prosperity.” A larger, more skilled workforce makes it easier for U.S. yards to deliver Navy, Coast Guard, sealift, and commercial vessels on time.
• Supporting Arctic and polar operations: By focusing on icebreaker technology and linking to the ICE Pact with Canada and Finland, the programs contribute to the ability of the U.S. and allies to operate in and secure Arctic sea lanes, which are increasingly important for defense, trade, and resource access.
• Enhancing economic competitiveness: Modern skills in modular construction and advanced shipyard practices help U.S. yards compete with heavily subsidized foreign shipbuilders, supporting domestic manufacturing, high‑wage jobs, and resilient supply chains.
• Deepening allied industrial cooperation: Partnerships with foreign shipyards (e.g., Hanwha Ocean in South Korea) and ICE‑Pact allies can help standardize practices and share technology, which in turn underpins joint naval, coast‑guard, and commercial projects that serve shared security and economic interests.

Thus, DOL presents the grants as part of a wider effort to restore U.S. maritime capacity, which is recognized in policy documents as directly tied to both national security and economic resilience.

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) is the Labor Department office that handles international labor policy and enforcement.

Its usual role:

• ILAB “leads the U.S. Department of Labor’s efforts to ensure that workers around the world are treated fairly” and focuses on:
  • Combating abusive labor practices (including forced labor and child labor) in global supply chains.
  • Addressing unfair trade and labor practices by U.S. trading partners and foreign adversaries that undercut U.S. workers.
  • Advancing American workers’ interests in international forums and trade agreements.
• It funds and oversees international labor‑rights and anti‑child‑labor projects abroad, and supports enforcement of labor provisions in trade agreements.

How this shipbuilding initiative fits:

• The DOL release notes that ILAB “increases American job and wage growth by combating foreign abusive labor and unfair trade practices in global supply chains that undermine U.S. prosperity and security.”
• The shipbuilding grants extend that mission by using international partnerships (e.g., Hanwha Ocean in South Korea and ICE‑Pact allies) to:
  • Develop high‑standard, internationally recognized training that helps U.S. workers compete with foreign labor.
  • Channel global best practices into U.S. programs, while tying them to fair‑labor and high‑wage standards.

So, while most ILAB programs target labor practices abroad directly, this initiative uses ILAB’s international tools to counter foreign cost and labor advantages in shipbuilding by upgrading U.S. workforce skills and strengthening fair‑competition conditions for American workers.