The Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program reached a significant milestone by celebrating its 1,000th program completer at graduation in July 2025. During the ceremony, Glenn Claypool waited eagerly as the countdown began. Nine hundred ninety-eight, 999, 1,000 — Claypool earned the distinction of becoming ATDM’s 1,000th program completer, a milestone he will carry throughout his career.
“ATDM has given me a second chance at having a fulfilling career that provides a true sense of purpose,” said Claypool. “It’s not just a job, it’s a path that has equipped me with skills that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Claypool walked away from a career in sales and the familiarity of Palmdale, California, in search of something more fulfilling. With a degree in business management, he had checked all the right boxes, but something was missing. He wanted to work with his hands, to learn a skill of which he could be proud. ATDM offered the fresh start he was seeking: a chance to turn curiosity into capability and purpose into a profession.
That led him to ATDM’s non-destructive testing (NDT) program.
“I chose NDT because I thought it would be the most interesting,” said Claypool. “Once I figured out what it really was, I thought it would be something like I can use for the rest of my life.”
Claypool dedicated himself, showing up for the 600 hours — that’s eight hours a day, five days a week for 16 weeks — of intensive, hands-on training needed to complete the program. But his proudest moment was passing the sheer ultrasonic exams.
“They were some of the hardest exams that we’ve had, and I felt really great passing them,” he said. “Ultrasonic is important because it allows us to see flaws and discontinuities that go deeper into the metal instead of just the surface flaws.”
The hard work paid off, and Claypool officially said goodbye to California. He accepted a position as an NDT technician with Keel in Charleston, South Carolina.
“I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone just starting their career because it provides a solid skill base, or even to those looking to make a career change into something that offers both longevity and opportunities for growth,” said Claypool. “It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
Claypool wasn’t the only program completer whose life changed when finding ATDM. Fellow cohort member William Kaisen walked across the stage with a renewed commitment to serving his country.
"I'm one of the Veteran students here, and I heard about the program through an email from the VA," said Kaisen, who was injured during his time in the Marine Corps.
Eager to continue serving in a new capacity and utilize his mechanically inclined skills, Kaisen enrolled in ATDM’s computer numerical control (CNC) machining program — despite having no prior machining experience.
“The only experience I had around it was just knowing that it existed,” said Kaisen. “But to take us from day one to where we are now, it’s really impressive.”
What mattered most to Kaisen was that his new career would give him a meaningful way to contribute again. ATDM supports the U.S. Navy by preparing high-demand trades professionals to work with manufacturers in the defense sector across the United States. The skilled trades shortages have particularly affected the workforce of shipyards and the maritime industrial base.
“It’s not going to allow us to directly join again, but we can still contribute in other ways by making essential parts that are needed for national defense,” said Kaisen.
Kaisen is taking the skills he learned in the ATDM program to a new career at CIRCOR Pumps North America, a Monroe, North Carolina–based provider of pumping and fluid handling technologies that supports the maritime industrial base.
From sales professionals with business degrees to veterans drawing on years of military service, every ATDM student arrives with a unique story and wealth of experience, but all leave equipped to write their next chapter in defense manufacturing.
"I’ve met people from a wide range of backgrounds, different cultures, life experiences, education levels and career paths, but the one thing we all share is that we came to ATDM looking for new skills and opportunities," said Claypool.
Now that ATDM has surpassed more than 1,000 completers since its launch, it has reached a pivotal milestone on its path to reaching its goal of 800 to 1,000 skilled tradespeople completing the program each year — an output critical to strengthening the nation’s defense workforce. That growth is now made possible by the program’s new state-of-the-art headquarters, the ATDM Maritime Training Center, located at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in charming Danville, Virginia. Danville has emerged as a nationally recognized hub for workforce innovation, and this strategic location gives ATDM a powerful edge. Combined with Virginia’s long history of cultivating defense talent, the center positions ATDM to not only meet but exceed the nation’s rising demand for highly trained maritime and defense manufacturing professionals.