NEW ORLEANS (press release) —NextOp is partnering with BlueForge Alliance, a nonprofit organization that is helping the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base establish a comprehensive enlisted military and veteran talent development and recruitment program. The focus of this effort is to address the increasing demand for skilled workforce in the SIB.
NextOp is a Houston-based nonprofit with a New Orleans-area presence.
“Our exciting partnership with BlueForge Alliance allows NextOp to invest in staff and activities that focus our services on placing at least 100 enlisted veterans in the SIB. We are honored to help contribute to this critical national defense workforce solution and look forward to growing our impact,” says NextOp Executive Director Shelby Mounts.
The U.S. Navy works to grow the industrial base to meet an increasing demand for submarine construction and a growing need for skilled tradespeople, with an estimated 100,000 workers needed over the next 10 years. In response to this demand, NextOp will provide marketing, recruiting, direct candidate development, training resources and industry engagement to establish enlisted veteran talent pipelines.
By working directly with NextOp to establish their requirements and participate in activities that lead to hiring, employers can grow their workforce with talented, skilled, dedicated workers and improve career opportunities for transitioning military and veteran job seekers.
In addition to the BlueForge Alliance partnership, candidate profiles may be developed through BuildSubmarines.com, a website owned and operated by BlueForge Alliance that serves as the central recruitment hub for workers needed to build and sustain the SIB’s mission. This allows veterans and transitioning military members the opportunity to filter through job and career opportunities tailored specifically for them.
NextOp partners with additional stakeholders in the SIB ecosystem. The nonprofit workforce development organization also has training partnerships with Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) and the New England Submarine Shipbuilding Partnership, powered by SENEDIA. These partners provide certification, education or training based upon industry requirements in a number of technical areas. NextOp’s goal is to continue developing collaborative partnerships to recruit suitable candidates, enroll them in training/certification programs and seamlessly place them into SIB careers.
As the demand for skilled workers in the SIB continues to grow, BlueForge Alliance and NextOp remain committed to empowering veterans and contributing to the national workforce solution. This partnership marks a significant step toward bridging the gap between military talent and needs of the SIB.
