Sight Line: The Commander's View

Without a skilled and motivated workforce, we would not successfully meet NAVSEA’s Mission Priority #1, Delivering Combat Power through the on-time delivery of combat-ready ships, submarines, and systems to the fleet.

That’s why NAVSEA’s Mission Priority #3 is Building a Team to Compete and Win.

You know better than most how indemand our aircraft carriers and submarines are. You also understand the critical role our Naval Shipyards play in delivering combat power to the Fleet. You, the workforce, form the heart of this capability, and our ability to maintain your unique technical competencies is crucial to everything NAVSEA does. Your technical edge and skilled artisanship create a true advantage and the potential to Expand that Advantage lands squarely on this Mission Priority.

Ultimately, Building a Team to Compete and Win begins with an organizational culture that ensures a level playing field for all NAVSEA employees, one built on a foundation of trust, respect and fairness. By ensuring everyone has equal access to training, professional growth, and advancement opportunities, not only do we build a stronger, more cohesive workforce, we also create a solid professional culture that will attract the next generation of bright young Americans to follow in your footsteps.

To guide our efforts, we’re focusing on some key areas: • Building and sustaining technical and leadership competence in all functional areas and at all levels • Developing, instilling, and sustaining

a constructive culture and workplace environment that maximizes mission success and employee fulfillment • Building a learning organization through collaboration and teamwork across the NAVSEA Enterprise • Ensuring fairness and equal opportunity for advancement, mentoring, training, and all areas of professional development • Ensuring succession planning and talent management that utilizes workforce analytics to anticipate future workforce requirements • Implement effective retention strategies to affirm an attractive workplace culture.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility wrote a great article about their Deputy Apprentice Program Manager, Mr. Mtume Salaam. Mtume started his Navy journey after being laid off as a truck driver. Following enrollment and graduation from Southwest Regional Maintenance Center Apprentice Program’s first class in 2014, he’s earned consistent promotions: work leader, supervisor, pipefitter instructor, and now, Deputy Director. Read his story here: https://www.navsea.navy. mil/Media/News/Article/2366522/plankowner-graduate-selected-as-new-deputydirector-for-southwest-regional-app/.

Mtume’s success story is one of many careers in progress across the NAVSEA enterprise that reflect our culture, our service, and this Mission Priority, Building a Team to Compete and Win, in action. My goal is to ensure everyone—from our senior stewards to our newest shipmates including the 776 men and women who’ve graduated from Naval Shipyard Apprentice Programs this year — has the potential and the encouragement to excel within NAVSEA’s shipyards.

KEEP CHARGING! V/r, VADM William Galinis