Turning Military Transition into a Scalable Hiring Pipeline for the Submarine Industrial Base

A fragmented recruiting environment is being turned into a more coordinated pathway from military service to maritime employment. Using the Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Center as the connective hub, Hampton Roads Workforce Council has helped thousands of military-connected candidates engage employers, access training, and move into regional submarine manufacturing jobs.

The Problem & Opportunity

Hampton Roadshasone of the strongest demand signals for submarine manufacturing labor, while also housing a large population of transitioning service members and military spouses. The challenge was a lack of a coordinated system to attract, prepare, and connect that talent to employers with persistent workforce needs.

Objective

Build a recruit-train-retain pipeline to connect transitioning military personnel and spouses with submarine manufacturing jobs across Hampton Roads, expanding recruitment efforts into North Carolina.

Solution

The investment enabled candidate attraction and employer connection through career summits, hiring-focused events, Lunch & Learns, and Employer Tuesday sessions that brought military-connected talent and submarine manufacturing employers into direct contact. It also supported training and transition readiness, includingSkillbridgetraining, paid fellowships, and career-readiness programming tailored to military talent. A thirdcomponentis regional expansion and mentoring. The effort is extending into North Carolina, building a broader talent pipeline while adding mentorship support intended to strengthen career sustainability and reduce attrition.

Impact

• HRWC has facilitated employment for 2,942 candidates with regional submarine manufacturing employers, demonstrating substantial conversion from outreach to hiring. ‍
• The program has hosted 9 career summits attracting 1,684 veterans, plus 17 Employer Tuesdays with 398 attendees and 15 Lunch & Learns. It has supported 476 veterans and spouses through training, DoD Skillbridge, or paid fellowship activity, strengthening candidate readiness.‍
• As of December 31, 2025, performance reporting shows 3,603 transitioned veterans have been recruited by regional employers supporting the submarine industrial base from a long-term goal of 12,826. A no-cost extension and strategic growth into North Carolina create additional room to extend the return from the model. 

About BlueForge Alliance

BlueForge Alliance (BFA) is the national nonprofit, neutral integrator whose mission is to reinvigorate the U.S. defense industrial base necessary to produce next generation capabilities in partnership with the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense. BFA is a critical partner in the U.S. Navy Submarine Industrial Base’s mission to ensure industry has the capability, capacity, and resilience to build and maintain America’s next generation of undersea platforms and to support international commitments under the AUKUS partnership. The organization’s team of experts in a variety of disciplines focus on addressing critical workforce, technology, and supplier development needs. BFA is headquartered in Bryan/College Station, Texas. For more information, visit www.BlueForgeAlliance.us.