Shaheen Applauds Completion of Pilot Program to Grow NH Shipbuilding Jobs

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) applauds the completion of the New England Submarine Shipbuilding Partnership’s pilot Machinist Pipeline Program, which aims to train participants for skilled manufacturing jobs and connects them with local manufacturers seeking to hire additional personnel. Five New Hampshire residents graduated from the program and were offered jobs with Granite State Manufacturing in Nashua and Manchester, Mercury Systems in Hudson and Spraying Systems in Merrimack.

“Congratulations to the five New Hampshire graduates of the pilot Machinist Pipeline Program. This program will strengthen our state’s role in the defense shipbuilding sector and I’m excited to see the future opportunities it will create for our communities,” said Senator Shaheen, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. “I want to thank SENEDIA and the hardworking team at Nashua Community College for developing this talent pipeline and creating world-class opportunities for New Hampshire families. I look forward to seeing the expansion of these critical training programs and will continue to fight for the defense workforce funding needed to grow talent right here in New Hampshire.”

The Machinist Pipeline Program is a 10-week, hands-on training program to prepare participants for entry-level CNC and machinist positions. The skills learned through this program are directly applicable to in-demand manufacturing jobs, especially in New Hampshire’s defense industrial base. The program is organized by the defense workforce development organization, SENEDIA and is operated in partnership with Nashua Community College. Senator Shaheen was a key supporter of the program and has long advocated for defense workforce development.

Senator Shaheen is a leader in the U.S. Senate to bolster the domestic defense industrial base to ensure U.S. troops have the cutting-edge equipment they need to defend the nation and deter adversaries. In early June, Shaheen toured three New Hampshire defense manufacturing facilities and met with the companies’ leadership ahead of a bipartisan congressional delegation visit to the Paris Air Show. Last month, Shaheen helped pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year (FY) 2024 through the Senate. In the FY24 bill, she secured key provisions to support New Hampshire’s defense industrial sector, including hundreds of millions of dollars to support the workforce and suppliers that comprise the submarine industrial base. That funding has enabled workforce training programs like this Machinist Pipeline Program. 

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