BAE Systems seeks to hire about 1200 new employees

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - BAE Systems, a local shipbuilding company, said it needs all kinds of employees — over 1000 — to help complete several projects it has lined up.

The company will host a job fair on Thursday, September 27, from 12 p.m. Until 7 p.m. at their shipyard on Pinto Island. BAE is looking to fill 1200 spots in the next 15 months. The projects include construction of new platform supply vessels that will serve offshore drilling operations.

Nikole Ellison grew up on the West Coast, but made her way to the Gulf Coast via BAE Systems. She knew from an early age that working in the Maritime industry was what she wanted to do.

"My junior year of high school, I got involved in the maritime industry and how we move things across the world. It really interested me and that is why I chose the profession," said Ellison.

Ellison isn't the only one with an interest in the shipbuilding world. Mobile native Justin Rountree said he too knew early on that working near the water was for him.

Rountree followed his father into the profession.

"Here in Mobile around the water is the place to be," Rountree said. "A place like BAE Systems that is growing is the place to be, too."

Now, you could possibly join the ranks of Ellison, Rountree and all of the other employees at BAE.

The purpose of the fair is to support the company's growing commercial shipbuilding operation, along with its repair and maintenance services.

At any given time, there could be a dozen vessels in the BAE Systems shipyard , some that date back to the early 1900s. Currently, there are eight ships at the shipyard.

Two are being built and the others are under repair. And if working on something as large as the vessels there intimidates you, officials say not to worry, there is job development.

Gia Hawkins, in the Human Resources department, also said there is job stability.

"All of these positions that we are filling, we hope that the people we meet tomorrow and bring on will be here for the next 30 years," said Hawkins.

BAE leaders said, since the company merged with Atlantic Marine, the number of job orders has gone up. Now it needs people in place to do the work.

"It has been our plan to grow the market in Mobile. Specifically, our intent is to continue to do that and grow the backlog so our folks have the opportunity to have a long-term employment opportunity," said Victor Rhoades.

That is exactly what Nikole Ellison and Justin Rountree are counting on.

Click here to see a full list of jobs for which the company is hiring.