In 2008, Shinaca Reed, general foreman, Welding, joined the Ingalls team as a welder apprentice. She didn’t know anything about welding, but she did know this career move would impact her family for generations to come.
“At the time, I was a single parent struggling to make ends meet. Ingalls was the best place for me to make a decent living to provide for my family,” she recalled. “I was the only female in my class at that time and continued to climb up the ranks.”
Reed embraced the grind in the bays and shops, leading her to complete the Legacy Builders program.
“I appreciated the mentors who took the time to provide these programs for us to be better shipbuilders,” she said. “Legacy Builders heightened my skills so I could pass information along to others.”
Reed’s work ethic pushed her to foreman status, where she stayed for about seven and a half years. Now, she's a welding general foreman, a position she has held since December. With her experience, she can relate to a variety of shipbuilders.
“There are different ways to get the job done, but we all strive to get the same end result,” she said. “What may work for me may not work for them, but they can take something from it and put it with what they know and make it worthwhile.”
Playing the role of a mentor wasn’t something Reed had in mind when she first joined the company. However, she now uses her position at Ingalls to set an example for others.
“At first I didn't think someone may look up to me, but there’s others who may share my same story,” she said. “They just need the opportunity to make a good living for their families, too.”
Reed encourages all shipbuilders with goals of growing careers at Ingalls to continue to learn and always ask questions. She plans to do the same as she continues to build her shipbuilding career.
“Someone saw something in me and pushed me when I didn't think I was ready,” she said. “You couldn't have told me 15 years ago that I would be where I am today. Nothing’s impossible.”
Map out your future at Ingalls to help grow the career you want. Ingalls Craft Career Corps can help you reach your goals. Click here to schedule an appointment. For more information or questions, email Ingalls_Craft_Career_Corps@hii-ingalls.com or call ext. 3532.