Electric Boat held Rhode Island High School Signing Day on May 23 at the Regional Career & Technical Center at Coventry High School in celebration of over 100 high school students who signed on to join the EB team after they graduate. The 104 students who accepted jobs are from participating schools in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and will be working at the EB Quonset Point facility in RI following their high school graduation.
Ray Gabriel, Vice President of Quonset Point Operations, welcomed the students and the evening’s keynote speakers, including Sen. Jack Reed; Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse; Rep. David Cicilline; Rep. Seth Magaziner; Don Cowart, Superintendent of Coventry Public Schools; Dr. Montanez, Superintendent of Providence Public Schools; and Paul McConnell, Rhode Island Department of Education. Also present was Josh Sturgill, Command Master Chief, Team Submarines, U.S. Navy, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) graduate Shane Henderson, now employed at Electric Boat.
In his opening remarks, Gabriel congratulated the new shipbuilders on “accepting not just a job, but a career whose only limitation on advancement is the one you choose to set.”
Added Reed, “You are putting every ounce of ethic into ensuring that the young men and women in our submarine service who take these ships into harm’s way will have the best equipment in the world, no doubt.”
Willie Barber, Youth Education and Outreach Lead at Electric Boat, presented the 1st year signing day award, and EB’s Jessica Key, Manager of Workforce Development, delivered the presentation of student signees. Closing the evening was Lori Ferguson, CTE Director, Coventry Regional Career and Technical Center.
Congratulations to Electric Boat’s newest shipbuilders for taking this step towards a rewarding career, and thank you to all of the participating schools for supporting our future workforce. Welcome aboard, shipbuilders!
Electric Boat will hold Connecticut High School Signing Day on May 31, where we’ll celebrate students who will be joining the team at EB’s Groton facility after graduation.​
