Ingalls welcomed more than 50 Scouts from the Gulf Coast region to the Ingalls Maritime Training Academy on May 16 for its third annual Scouts Merit Badge Day, an event designed to introduce Scouts to the values, skills and career pathways that support the construction of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps ships at Ingalls.
“Merit Badge Day is a great opportunity for our shipbuilding team to connect young people in our community with the skills and innovation that define Ingalls Shipbuilding,” Ingalls Shipbuilding Stakeholder Engagement Manager Lisa Bradley said. “By letting Scouts try real-life shipbuilding activities, we’re helping spark interest in the technical careers that build our nation’s military ships. This kind of engagement is a powerful investment in the workforce that we hope will continue to sustain America’s maritime strength for years to come.”
Throughout the event, Scouts rotated through instructor-led modules taught by Ingalls employees, many of them former Scouts or active Scout leaders. Participants earned shipbuilding‑based merit badges while learning more about core disciplines found across the shipyard, including engineering fundamentals, drafting concepts, fire safety principles, basic electrical systems, and hands‑on fabrication skills. Each activity was modeled on real technical work performed at Ingalls, giving Scouts a practical look at the craftsmanship and problem‑solving behind ship construction.
As Mississippi’s largest manufacturing employer, Ingalls Shipbuilding plays a vital role in national security and sustaining a highly skilled industrial workforce. With more than 11,000 employees, the shipyard depends on a strong pipeline of trained craft professionals, engineers and technical specialists to build some of the nation’s most complex destroyers and amphibious warships. Programs like Scouts Merit Badge Day help strengthen that pipeline by inspiring future welders, electricians, designers and engineers to one day support America’s maritime defense.