WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – Over the last two months, the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) program team, in partnership with a critical network of Department of Defense suppliers, launched its 2023—2024 Talent Pipeline Program. In launching the next pipeline, a series of workforce trade skill events were held in key maritime centers of gravity including Philadelphia, PA, Hampton Roads, VA, Pittsburgh, PA, Boston, MA, and Long Island, NY. The Boston and Long Island pipeline projects are the newest additions to the Talent Pipeline Program as it enters its third year.
Pipeline program participants gathered at orientation events to hear from senior leaders about the Navy’s generational journey to recapitalize its sea-based strategic deterrence, including the need to hire 100,000 new skilled trade workers into the submarine industrial base over the next 10 years. Attendees also heard testimony from SIB employers who have benefited from the talent pipeline program.
The program’s goal is to enable employers in the SIB to hire and retain employees with critical trade skills by connecting with career and technical training providers and career-seeking students.
“We need you. We need all of you,” said Ms. Stephanie Link, executive director, Program Executive Office for Attack Submarines, who spoke to pipeline participants at the inaugural Long Island orientation event about the critical mission of America’s submarine force. “Without a trained and talented workforce who understands the mission and wants to participate, we’re not going to meet demand. And I don’t think that in this threat landscape we can risk that.”
The 2023-2024 Talent Pipeline Projects build on the success of the 2022-2023 season where more than 700 new workforce members participated in 2022-2023 Talent Pipeline Project Signing Day events earlier this summer. ‘Signing Days’ recognize trade skills students who have successfully completed training and are embarking on careers at small and medium-size defense industrial base suppliers that participated in the talent pipeline programs.
In Philadelphia, Team Submarine’s Command Master Chief Jeff Hiscocks challenged suppliers to build the workforce needed to support the Navy’s submarine construction cadence of one Columbia Class submarine and two Virginia Class submarines by FY 2026 as part of the SIB’s demand signal.
“I thank you for your continued participation in the Talent Pipeline Program,” said Hiscocks. “You can see some of the first year, second year teams who have been here since the beginning. The data doesn’t lie, you are seeing dramatic improvement in the retention of new hires.”
Individuals and suppliers located in, and around maritime centers of gravity are encouraged to attend and engage with talent pipeline program events to include launch/orientations, career fairs, welding competitions, signing days, and more.
For more information on the Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base Program’s Talent Pipeline Program visit:
Talent Pipeline Program (dibtalentpipeline.com)