Maryland faces 60% welding gap for new Anduril yard

Shortage looms.

Anduril Industries plans to build a $3.7 billion shipyard at Sparrows Point to manufacture parts for Navy submarines. The project, announced by President Donald Trump on Oct. 6, will occupy 187 acres at Tradepoint Atlantic. It will include a 1,200-foot graving dock and cover more than 2 million square feet. The facility will produce components for Virginia-class attack submarines, starting with torpedo tubes. Final assembly will remain with General Dynamics Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding. The Navy contract is valued at up to $2.9 billion.

The yard projects 3,100 direct jobs and more than 14,000 indirect jobs in Maryland. Annual economic output is estimated at $2 billion. Core roles include welders, pipefitters, electricians, shipfitters, and inspectors. Anduril has stated it will recruit from the Baltimore region, including high school graduates and workers from aerospace and automotive sectors. The company also plans to train individuals with no prior shipbuilding experience. Wages for these positions have not yet been released. Brian Schimpf, Anduril co-founder and CEO, noted that Sparrows Point helped build the fleet that won World War II.

Baltimore currently has roughly 1,290 welders in the metro area. This figure represents about 0.95 welders per 1,000 jobs. The national average is approximately three times higher. In Hampton Roads, Virginia, which hosts Newport News Shipbuilding, the concentration is about 4.91 welders per 1,000 jobs. If 25% of Anduril's 3,100 direct jobs are for welders, the yard would require about 60% of the region's current welding workforce. The Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild also competes for these same skilled trades.

Hiring will not begin immediately. Large-scale recruitment is expected around 2029. Initial operations are scheduled for 2030. This timeline gives Maryland approximately three years to build a training pipeline. Permitting and site preparation are set to begin right after the announcement. Construction is expected to follow once approvals are secured.

Baltimore County approved a $210 million personal property tax break on Nov. 2. The break spans 30 years and covers equipment like cranes, rail cars, forklifts, and drydocks. The state of Maryland and the county have committed to matching up to 13% of Anduril's expected private investment. This funding includes money for a workforce training center at or near Tradepoint Atlantic. The General Assembly is expected to consider the state incentive package in its 2027 session. Details regarding the location, operator, and enrollment of the training center have not been announced.

The Community College of Baltimore County is building a $13.3 million Welding and Trades Center at its Dundalk campus. This site is a few miles from Sparrows Point. Construction was scheduled to start in May 2026. Completion is projected for spring 2027. Welding and trades courses are expected to begin in summer 2027. The college already trains welders at its Rosedale facility in partnership with Earlbeck Gases & Technologies. Residents can contact CCBC about current certificate courses. They can also check with the Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce Development and the Maryland Department of Labor for apprenticeship and training grants. Anduril's careers page will list openings for the Arsenal-2 project.

The state incentive bill in Annapolis will determine how much public money supports training. For a region that lost thousands of steel jobs when the Sparrows Point mill closed, the shipyard offers a chance to rebuild an industrial workforce if training begins soon enough.