In February 2026, St. Johns Ship Building (SJSB) made a valuable connection with CareerSource NEFL, receiving Customized Training (CT) funds to help finance the training of four new welders and four shipfitters for the company, who completed their training in June.
“The program has been a tremendous success, with all the participants completing classroom instruction and hands-on training in both ship fitting and welding,” said SJSB Recruiter Nicole Dupont. “Throughout the course, trainees have developed skills in safety practices, quality assurance, blueprint reading, equipment operation, machine setup, welding procedures, and industry-specific techniques required for success in the shipbuilding trade.”
Located at a shipyard in Palatka, the company specializes in the construction, repair and conversion of steel and aluminum vessels – which includes building and repairing a variety of vessels, including tugboats, barges, offshore wind support vessels, ferries, workboats and crew transfer vessels (CTVs).
Like many companies, finding employees to fill open positions in the skilled trades, especially welders and ship fitters, has been a growing challenge over recent years.
“We heard about the Customized Training Program grant initiative through Roben Faircloth at CareerSource, we had a conversation about it and it piqued my interest, since we’ve been having difficulties, like everybody has, as far as filling trade positions,” Dupont said. “So, myself and our production manager, Robert Lowe, got together and we came up with the training course.”
Dupont, who was a welder with the company prior to taking the recruitment position, says her background in welding and ship fitting gave her “a different kind of insight” into how the training could work.
“The president of the company approved moving forward with it, and when we received the grant to help underwrite the training, we were on our way,” she said.
In addition to providing a strong foundation for workforce development in the region, the CT program is creating opportunities for residents looking for a new career, and offers career advancement within St. Johns Ship Building.
A second cohort of candidates began training in July, and the company is currently looking for new candidates to enter its next training program in the fall.
“It’s an eight to ten week course, and we’ve chosen to extend the interview process this time to get more qualified candidates, which should translate into a better retention rate for us,” she said. “But again, we’re just starting out, so we’re learning where our weaknesses and strengths are, and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Once the company selects four ship fitters and four welders, those candidates complete a one-day orientation, and the eight-to-ten weeks of training begin – 40 hours per week, with candidates receiving an hourly rate during training.
Dupont says they focus on the younger generation, “our next generation of ship builders,” with recruitment aimed at students fresh out of high school or college.
“We’re especially interested in those already attending a trade school, such as First Coast Technical College,” she said. “What we’re finding is that those students that have paid to learn this trade are the ones that are showing up and dedicating themselves to this career, because they’ve already proven that by attending a trade school.”
And, as Dupont’s background can attest, women welders are welcome.
A 2008 graduate of Palatka High School, Dupont says she didn’t really have a focus when it came to career – working in construction and as a sales manager at a mobile home company for a time.
“Most of those jobs were never meant to be permanent,” she said. “I wasn’t focused on anything, and just took whatever job came along at the time.”
She found St. Johns Ship Building in 2019, initially starting as a laborer on the yard.
“On the third day, the production manager asked me if I wanted to learn how to weld, and I had never thought about it, but I said I’d try it…and that was that,” she said. “I’ve been welding ever since.”
Dupont was later certified for welding both aluminum and steel.
After a year and a half, she left to pursue some other job opportunities. She eventually returned to the company in 2024 as a welder – then secured a position in recruiting.
“Shipbuilding isn’t just for men anymore,” she said. “Women are building successful careers in welding, ship fitting, electrical and other skilled trades throughout the industry. At St. Johns Ship Building, a career in the trades can be more than just a job…it can be the beginning of a long-term career with plenty of opportunity for advancement. Whether you’re just entering the industry or looking for a place to advance your skills, your commitment to a better future is recognized…and the opportunities are only getting bigger.”
Check out this video to find out more about job opportunities at the company, or visit https://www.stjohnsshipbuilding.com/employment.
