Global Skills Union Pathways Project (GSUPP)
The Global Skills Union Pathways Project (GSUPP) is a free 20-week program in collaboration with The Welcoming Center, the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO (an organization that supports workers) and the Hanwha Philadelphia Shipyard (one of the biggest shipyards in the United States) that prepares participants to apply for the Shipyard’s paid apprenticeship program. The GSUPP program aims to create a pipeline into high-demand union jobs in the skilled trades – where there can be a lack of applicants to fulfill open positions – and to generate long-term economic mobility for immigrant participants and their families.
The GSUPP Program
The GSUPP program is 20 weeks, and the program is divided into four sections. We are currently recruiting for a cohort that starts in the middle of May 2025 and ends in early October 2025.
Please note: You must attend 80% or more of classes in order to successfully complete the program.
Program Information:
- May 12 – October 6, 2025
- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
- 10:30 am-1:00 pm
- In-person at the BOK Building in South Philadelphia (1901 S 9th Street) on Mondays and Wednesdays, and virtual on Zoom on Thursdays
You Will Learn:
- English language and communication for the Shipyard - 9 weeks
- Certifications in workplace safety and first aid (OSHA & CPR certitification) and other general workplace training - 2 weeks
- Specialized training in shipbuilding skills - 6 weeks
- Career readiness classes to prepare participants to apply and interview for the Shipyard's apprenticeship program, and how to be a successful Shipyard employee - 4 weeks
- Graduation ceremony and job placement - week of October 6, 2025
Program Requirements
- You must live in Philadelphia
- You must have work authorization in the US
- Have a high school diploma or GED (a high school equivalency exam)
- Speak intermediate level of English or above
- Be able to attend all 20 weeks of the training program from May to October
About Hanwha Philadelphia Shipyard's Apprenticeship Program
During the GSUPP program, you will learn how to apply for the Shipyard’s apprenticeship program, which starts in October 2025. You will need to participate in an interview and pass an entrance exam to apply for the apprenticeship.
The Shipyard’s apprenticeship program is three years long and will train you to build and repair ships. The program consists of both classroom and on-the-job training. As an apprentice, you are a full-time paid employee – starting salary is $23.10/hour and increases at regularly scheduled intervals to $33/hour by the end of the three years. You will also receive a variety of other benefits, such as:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Paid college credits
- Union pension
- Vacation time and personal time
Requirements of the Shipyard’s Apprenticeship Program
- Be able to work outside in hot or cold weather, as most of the work building and repairing ships is outdoors
- Have reliable transportation to the Hanwha Philadelphia Shipyard at 2100 Kitty Hawk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19112.
- Consistently attend the three-year program
- Ability to be clean-shaven (no facial hair) for respirator fit for personal protective equipment
- Ability to arrive at work before 6 am. (The Shipyard’s apprenticeship training program is from 6am-4:30pm Mondays through Thursdays.)
To learn more about the program, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPCC4V8ilwg.
*The link above is to apply for The Welcoming Center’s 20-week GSUPP program and not the Shipyard’s apprenticeship program. The GSUPP program is different from the Shipyard’s apprenticeship program. The Shipyard’s apprenticeship program has a separate application process that the GSUPP program will assist you with.