In this episode of Ship Repair Radio, VSRA President John Polowczyk sits down with Shawn Avery, President of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council. They tackle a persistent but outdated narrative: the supposed lack of a maritime workforce in Hampton Roads. Shawn details the massive, coordinated "workforce generation machine" actively supplying talent to both the shipbuilding and ship repair industries across the region.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Busting the Workforce Myth: Hampton Roads is currently training 6,000 maritime workers. There are plans to scale to 10,000 individuals as new training centers come online.
• The Hampton Roads Maritime Training System: There is an unprecedented collaboration of about 35 educational partners. This network ranges from K-12 technical centers up to community colleges to build regional training capacity.
• Historic Investment & ROI: The initiative started with an initial $99,000 grant. It is now approaching over $100 million in strategic investments to fund new labs, training programs, and marketing.
• Matching Supply with Demand: The council moved beyond baseline labor market data. They dedicated full-time staff to align industry demand flows directly with educational outputs.
• Incumbent Worker Training & Apprenticeships: Funding is available to upskill current employees to retain talent and help them grow into supervisory roles. This also helps open up entry-level opportunities below them.

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In this podcast episode of Ship Repair Radio, VSRA President John sits down with Rear Admiral Kayvon Hakimzadeh (commonly known as "Admiral Hak"), Commander of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Bringing his perspective as a former Naval aviator, Admiral Hak discusses his observations after his first year in command, highlighting both the exceptional responsiveness of government flyaway teams and the systemic frictions that often slow down industrial operations.

Key Topics Discussed:
- Retaining Top Talent: The critical need to restructure pay scales so master mechanics and machinists can advance financially while staying on their tools, rather than being forced into supervisory roles.
- Shifting the MRO Model: Moving away from long-cycle shipbuilding behaviors toward shorter, more intense maintenance availabilities to conserve valuable drydock and pier space.
- Streamlining Bureaucracy: Pushing technical and contracting authority down to lower levels to rapidly address unplanned work and speed up the supply chain.
- Partnering with Private Industry: Leveraging the recently awarded Submarine MAC and existing IDIQ contracts to standardize outsourced resource days, bringing much-needed stability and predictability to private shipyard partners.

Tune in to hear how Norfolk Naval Shipyard is hiring, growing, and working alongside the private sector to meet the Navy's historic demand for operational ships.

In this episode of Ship Repair Radio, VSRA President John Paul sits down with Jahlani Williams, the 2024 VSRA Junior Tradesperson of the Year and current Sheet Metal Lead at East Coast Repair and Fabrication. Jahlani shares his inspiring journey from navigating unfulfilling jobs after college to discovering a rewarding, long-term career in the maritime industry.

Listeners will get an inside look at the daily realities of shipyard life, the profound impact of habitability work on sailors, and why the skilled trades offer an unparalleled path for professional growth and entrepreneurship.

Key Takeaways:

• How a chance trip to a Tidewater Community College job fair kickstarted Jelani's maritime apprenticeship.
• The realities of balancing technical classroom education with hands-on deckplate work at Técnico.
• Shattering the myth of the "skilled trades ceiling" and uncovering the real potential for advancement, leadership, and business ownership.
• The personal fulfillment of building and outfitting ship spaces to directly improve the quality of life for sailors.
• Actionable advice for high school students considering the trades, including the immense value of taking woodshop and drafting classes.

Connect with Us: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Ship Repair Radio on your favorite podcast platform. Send us your thoughts and interact with the show by emailing radio@virginiashiprepair.org.