Photo By Shelby West | The NSS-SY People Pillar Team has developed the career path in the trades known as the...... read more read more
One of Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s (NNSY) greatest assets is its people, the folks putting in the hard work each day to meet the mission to repair, modernize, and inactivate the Navy’s warships any time, every time, to protect America. Through the efforts of the Naval Sustainment System – Shipyards (NSS-SY) People Pillar, a new career opportunity has opened up across the enterprise for the mechanics on the deckplate, providing experts within their trades with the means and motivation to train and mentor the next generation of journey-level workers who service our nation’s fleet.
The NSS-SY People Pillar Team has developed the career path in the trades known as the Expert Tradesperson Work Leader – providing WG-10s an opportunity to advance to a WL-10 and creating an incentive to further a career in the trades across all four public shipyards. This is a career path that empowers the production workforce through increased responsibilities and authorities while preserving wrench turning capability.
Mechanics will be able to work toward a career as an expert tradesperson through the apprenticeship path or by progressing through the wage grade levels until they reach a WG-10. With the addition of the new career path, the mechanic can then apply for expert tradesperson work leader (nonsupervisory) or management work leader.
“We have so much talent at our shipyards, with our mechanics truly ensuring our fleet is at peak performance,” said Code 900B Workforce Development Manager and NNSY NSS-SY People Pillar Lead John Veal. “We want our mechanics to know that we care about them, their careers, and what they bring to the table. For many, they want to continue to advance in their trades without taking on the duties of a work leader or supervisor, keeping their focus on the craft itself instead of taking on more administrative or executive duties. With this new career path in place, we get to elevate those master craftsmen, those expert tradespersons who can conduct the work on the deckplate as well as become mentors for their fellow mechanics. We’re investing in the future of our mechanics – and preserving the trade skills needed to service the fleet.”
The NSS-SY People Pillar Team began the process to develop the expert tradesperson career path by completing the evaluation of position descriptions in various levels of the Federal Wage System. They evaluated series grade levels and pay ranges to assess incentives that may increase retention. Once completed, a new position description was classified and is now available to formally recognize an expert tradesperson across the enterprise.
This initiative has already begun its pilot across the four public shipyards. Eventually all trades, across all four shipyards, will offer the expert tradesperson career path – with the pilot focusing on trades such as riggers, marine machinery mechanics, painters, pipefitters, welders, electricians, and more.
Announcements will be made through USAJobs.gov. For those interested in more training opportunities for developing effective resumes for Federal Government, Fleet Human Resources is providing a resume writing course via teleconference Aug. 11 for all NNSY personnel from 11:20 a.m. to 12 p.m. Contact Germaine Harris-Hardy at germaine.l.harris-hardy.civ@us.navy.mil to register.
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2022 10:41 |
| Story ID: | 425985 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 246 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Expert Tradespersons Wanted: NSS-SY People Pillar Develops New Career Path to Support Mechanics Across the Enterprise, by Kristi R Britt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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