BATH — Striking a patriotic note in new radio ads, Bath Iron Works is putting out the word: It’s hiring.
The shipbuilder is looking for 51 welders, 18 pipefitters and seven machinists for work that BIW spokesman Jim DeMartini said is tied to a DDG-1000 Zumwalt class destroyer.
Production started last February.
“It’s the lead ship in the new class of Navy destroyers,” DeMartini said. There’s also work to finish on two DDG-51s. “It’s those three ships that are really driving the need. We’ve been slowly building and we’re going to continue to build going into 2011 as well.”
BIW employs 5,800 people. DeMartini said this was the largest number of new welder hires in recent memory.
“We’re in discussions with the Navy for potentially two more (DDG-1000) ships for a total of three,” he added, hope being that more work could keep the expanded work force going.
One radio spot last week highlighted the need for experienced welders with pay at better than $20 an hour. An ad that started Saturday includes a call for machinists and pipefitters.
“Every time we see a ship go down that river with a bunch of sailors lined up along the rail, everybody here knows that those guys and gals are putting their lives on the line and counting on the fact that they’re going out on a well-built, reliable ship,” DeMartini said. “It may sound corny, but it’s not. Pride and patriotism, there’s a lot of that that runs through the fabric of the company here.”
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