Blue Origin will expand space manufacturing apprenticeship to Florida’s Space Coast

Blue Origin plans to bring its new space manufacturing apprenticeship program to Florida’s Space Coast as the company works to grow the skilled workforce needed to build rockets and other spacecraft.The Advanced Training Learning Academy for Space, or ATLAS, launched this month in Alabama with 10 machinist apprentices. Blue Origin describes it as its first registered apprenticeship program specifically designed for space manufacturing.Florida is expected to be the next location for the program. Apprentices on the Space Coast would receive a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on training, including opportunities to work on flight hardware for New Glenn rockets and lunar landers.The program is designed as an alternative route into the aerospace industry for people without four-year college degrees. Blue Origin says apprentices earn full-time pay and benefits while training and can ultimately earn nationally recognized journeyworker certifications.The company plans to expand the pro