Groton ― Students got a hands-on introduction to careers in the submarine shipbuilding industry Monday at Ella T. Grasso Technical High School.

The event organized by Project MFG, a national organization focused on building the manufacturing trade workforce, included a maritime welding competition and career exploration event. Partners Electric Boat and SENEDIA, which is The Alliance for Defense Tech, Talent, and Innovation, helped with the annual event.

The career discovery expo featured local industry experts and showcased more than a dozen manufacturing companies. Several students have already received job offers from Electric Boat, and staff from the company were on site to conduct additional interviews.

For the maritime based welding competition, students used Tungsten inert gas welding machines to manufacture model submarines out of carbon steel.

“It really reflects some of the real world skills needed in the submarine industry,” said Ray Dick, founder of Project MFG.

For Dick the event was about more than the competition and more about the career opportunities for students.

“We need to reconstitute American manufacturing made in America,” he said.

“There are so many unfilled jobs (in the submarine industry) that young people need to step in and be the next generation of makers.”