BETHESDA, Md. – Jeffrey Klimczak, a human resources specialist at Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, received the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Human Resources Award for Collaboration on April 29.
Capt. Christopher Matassa, Carderock’s commanding officer, presented the award in recognition of Klimczak’s leadership in developing and launching Carderock University—a centralized platform for professional development. Klimczak successfully brought together contributors from across the organization to align resources and create a unified approach to workforce growth.
The NAVSEA HR Collaboration award recognizes individuals or teams for significant contributions to their organizations through effective teamwork and partnership. The award specifically highlights efforts that result in increased trust, cooperation, and respect from stakeholders while fostering productive relationships within and across organizations.
Klimczak was surprised to learn that he had received the prestigious award. “I was in shock and extremely humbled. I didn’t even know I was submitted for this award,” Klimczak admitted. He described the recognition as both personally motivating and a professional validation of the work his team’s work.
The aim of Carderock University is to bring together a variety of resources for training and career development in one easily navigable location. The platform consolidates resources such as career guides, training roadmaps, and educational opportunities, making them accessible to employees at all levels. Klimczak explained that the biggest challenge in developing Carderock University was transitioning the concept into a fully functional platform without an established outline or parameters.
“The biggest challenge we faced with Carderock University was taking a concept that had been in the works for over a year and creating the actual product without an outline or set of parameters,” he said. “We developed and then changed our entire layout numerous times as we added content to make the different pages easier to navigate. There is still a constant flow of content being added weekly, which means that we are constantly reorganizing and/or creating new pages.”
A key element of Klimczak’s efforts was fostering partnerships with universities and leveraging internal training academies within the organization. These collaborations allowed him to integrate resources such as the Defense Technical Information Center Portal, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport’s Corporate Research and Information Center’s Research Commons, and connections with professional organizations.
Internally, Klimczak and his team worked to establish internal training academies, such as the School of Naval Architecture and Engineering and the School of Strategy and Leadership, to centralize specific career development opportunities. By coordinating across departments and external institutions, Klimczak ensured that employees have access to a comprehensive suite of training, mentoring, and leadership resources.
According to Jorge Galindo, head of the Workforce Development Branch, and the manager that nominated Klimczak, his ability to coordinate input and manage content development was key to ensuring the platform would meet the employees’ needs. “His ability to bring together diverse stakeholders and create a really comprehensive knowledge base has positioned Carderock University as a premier destination for employee growth,” he wrote.
Klimczak emphasized communication, multitasking, decision-making, adaptability, and creativity as critical skills for this initiative. “In my career, I have always found inspiration in seeing those around me grow professionally,” Klimczak said. He credits his success to his team’s support and leadership for allowing him the freedom to innovate.
Klimczak views Carderock University as a guidepost for the workforce – a resource that provides direction and clarity in navigating career development. For him, every addition to the platform represents a step forward in building an organization where employees feel empowered to grow. “The long-term impact we would like to see is for a new employee to check onboard and be provided with not only a career path… but also the resources and mentoring to complete each step on their way,” Klimczack said.
Although Carderock University is still in its early stages, Klimczak said the team is exploring ways to measure its success and define its impact. In the future, he hopes Carderock University will provide employees with comprehensive career paths, mentorship opportunities, and the resources necessary to achieve their career goals.
Looking ahead, Klimczak hopes to replicate this model with additional departments across the division. “I would like to work with the different departments to start our own in-house training programs and tie them into Carderock University,” he said. Plans include developing Carderock University’s career development section, integrating new in-house training programs, and continuing to expand the platform’s content.
Carderock University continues to grow alongside the workforce it supports, continually opening doors to new opportunities for professional development. The NAVSEA Human Resources Award for Collaboration recognizes Klimczak’s leadership and ability to unite contributors across the organization in support of workforce development innovation.