Maryland officials have touted Anduril’s planned $3.7 billion shipyard at Sparrows Point as a generational opportunity for the state’s workforce, promising thousands of Marylanders a path to good-paying manufacturing jobs, including as welders.
But finding welders won’t be enough. The defense contractor will need workers who can qualify to meet the Navy’s demanding welding standards for submarine components — an added challenge in a Baltimore region already facing a shortage of welders.
Anduril announced last month that it would invest in a 2 million-square-foot facility at Tradepoint Atlantic that will manufacture components for U.S. Navy submarines. The company expects the facility to create more than 3,100 direct jobs by 2034, with initial operations anticipated in 2030…