Local high school students are getting a unique opportunity to jumpstart their careers through an initiative spotlighted by St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners Chair Krista Joseph. On her recent tour of the Northrop Grumman high school internship program, she witnessed firsthand the collaboration between education and industry that offers young minds hands-on experience in the aeronautics sector. The Office of Public Affairs produced a video documenting her visit and the program's impact.
Orville (Orv) Dothage III, who heads up aeronautics quality standardization at Northrop Grumman's St. Augustine site, underscored to Commissioner Joseph the benefit of the initiative, "This provides a pathway to college for these high school students," a statement on the St. Johns County website echoed by one of the interns who added during the tour, "This is great. We learn, get paid for it, and get a jump start on my career." The program boasts 18 graduates in its three-year existence, half of whom have gone on to be employed by Northrop Grumman with options to leverage the company’s tuition reimbursement benefits.
Partnering with the St. Johns County School District and the Career & Technical Education academies, Northrop Grumman has been at the forefront of fostering real-world skills in potential future employees. The company's connection with First Coast Technical College further strengthens this bond, having supported its aircraft fabrication program with materials and support for an impressive 15 years.
The significance of this initiative is highlighted by Northrop Grumman's role as the largest private employer in St. Johns County, with around 1,000 workers at the St. Augustine location, an estimated 30% of them military veterans, these statistics and historical context paint a vivid picture of the company's longstanding commitment to the local community and its workforce it is one that emphasizes the symbiosis between industry and the nurturing of talent amongst the youth.
With a global presence in 25 nations, Northrop Grumman's ambitious efforts in space, aeronautics, defense, and cyberspace are propelled by a workforce over 100,000 strong, solving complex challenges and pushing the envelope of science and technology.
