I haven't worked for BIW but I have worked for General Dynamics at other locations and so I'm confident the following information will translate.

The trades are a noble profession, no question so I'm not going to talk about the jobs themselves but I will address the other factors that make a job tolerable/intolerable.

You're considering entering into a job that is in a constant state of feast or famine. They squabble for contracts with Missisippi and Susan constantly has to bail them out. That hire/fire life cycle drives your coworkers mentally crazy. Working for General Dynamics at other locations, cronyism was the only way to advance up in pay scale. You could certainly be smart and good at your job and move up the ranks, it happens but I think you'll need to be calculated with any vertical movement. I would also be suspicious when any "promises" of potential earnings are made. Big bucks usually mean working nights, weekends and every holiday while the white collar workers are home wkth their families.

Most of your coworkers are going to be hyper conservative. The older men have spent most of their life having their jobs outsourced. They're justifiably frustrated but instead of blaming Newt Gingrich, they'll spend their whole work day blaming the "illegals" for all their problems.

Do you want to be a part of the military industrial complex? The US Military is the single largest polluter in the world. Do you know where those missles they shoot are going to be used? Can you sleep at night not knowing? The US has bombed and killed just as many innocent people as they have people who deserved it.

Do you want to work around all those carcinogens? The machine shop is full of oils, the paint shop is full of solvents and other nasty shit. You can bring up safety issues to your foreman but you'll get called a pussy by your coworkers. Your hearing will be wrecked working there too.

Sorry to be a buzz kill but I've worked in the industry for over half of my professional careee and left. I wouldn't give up my summer vacations or Maine Teachers Retirementt to work at BIW.

If you DO decide to go in, get your electrical license through them, then GTFO and go into residential wiring for yourself