CRANE, Ind. –
A Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) team was awarded the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Philip Heiler Award for Human Resources Excellence. The Succession Planning Implementation (SPI) Team recognized with the award included 17 NSWC Crane employees.
The SPI Team was created in March of 2022 with personnel across the NSWC Crane Command. After six months, several new workforce development programs were created. The SPI Team’s efforts resulted in a new Career Services Center that provides multiple new programs for the NSWC Crane workforce including career coaching, career advising, job shadowing, rotation programs, and career path guides. The programs also focus on employee engagement and retention initiatives. The Career Services Center officially opened with new programs made available to the NSWC Crane workforce on December 1, 2022.
Heather Strange, the Workforce Development Branch Manager at NSWC Crane, led the SPI Team. She said it is great to be part of the SPI Team and for the team to be recognized for all their hard work.
“I am very proud to have been a part of this effort and now able to visually see the successes of this team on a daily basis as the Workforce Development team manages and promotes these services to our workforce,” said Strange. “We have received a lot of positive feedback from the over 300 employees who have already taken part in the offerings provided by the Career Services Center over the last year, and we look forward to many more testimonials from our workforce in the years to come!”
In April 2023, the Career Services Center opened its physical location at WestGate Academy in Odon, Indiana. A ribbon cutting took place June 2023. Strange said the team members used their different experiences to build the new Career Services Center.
“The Succession Planning Implementation Team was comprised of cross-departmental team members that collectively worked together to establish NSWC Crane’s new Career Services Center and all of the new programs that it provides,” said Strange. “We are very hopeful that the Career Services Center makes a very positive impact to our employee engagement and retention initiatives.”
According to the award citation, “As the direct result of this team, NSWC Crane has equipped their workforce to practice individualized career planning, promoting succession planning for the organization, and ensuring a level of mission readiness that will provide direct benefit to our Warfighters.”
About NSWC Crane | NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electromagnetic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's Warfighter.
Join Our Team! NAVSEA employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce - from students and entry level employees to experienced professionals and individuals with disabilities. We support today's sophisticated Navy and Marine Corps ships, aircraft, weapon systems and computer systems. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, IT and cyber specialists, as well as trade and other support professionals to ensure the U.S. Navy can protect and defend America. Please contact NSWC Crane Human Resources at crane_recruiting@navy.mil.