As the legislature looks to extend the highly successful "Guam Registered Apprenticeship program," a timely example of it took place just today.

About two dozen participants graduated from the ship repair boot camp coordinated by the Guam Community College and Cabras Marine Corporation.

The 12-week camp prepares them for apprenticeships in the industry, and eventually placement in well-paying jobs.

Atisa Leon Guerrero is one of a handful of female graduates. She says women should not be discouraged from seeking careers in the ship repair industry.

“We're taught in a way when we're young that girls don't do this type of work, it's a man's world and I want to break that ideology. I mean just think about back in world war two the very famous poster, Rosie the Riveter, I guess she was the version of the glass ceiling breaker. The girl, so we can do it too,” She said.

She was part of the 7th cohort of the ship repair boot camp. More than 140 students have now completed the program, most of them securing jobs following completion.

Check with GCC for more information on the next boot camp.