Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard said it is seeking to fill about 100 apprenticeship jobs. Those hired for the new class will begin their employment in January, with an average starting pay of $19 an hour, the shipyard said.

At the end of four years, apprentice program graduates earn $28 or more an hour after receiving a minimum of 7,200 hours of on-the-job training, trade theory and academic study.

Beverly Higa, the apprentice program administrator, said the announcement could be made on usajobs.gov as early as Tuesday,

Applications must be submitted through the website. Higa recommends creating an account on the federal website as soon as possible.

“This way, they can set up their resume and other administrative info,” she said. “Once the application period begins, they will be better poised to apply before the deadline.”

The apprentice program is a partnership between the shipyard, the U.S. Department of Labor and Honolulu Community College.

Apprentices receive full-time employment, hands-on training and a tuition-free, applied trades degree from HCC.

The shipyard said a waiver was received from federal budget cuts to continue the program.

Competition for the positions is “extremely rigorous” starting with a qualifying exam that measures job readiness, the shipyard said. Applicants who do well on the exam are then scheduled for a personal interview. Applicants also will be required to pass a physical exam and be able to obtain a security clearance.

The shipyard is the largest industrial employer in the state with a combined civilian and military workforce of about 4,850.