HII Launches "Build It" Campaign to Highlight Shipbuilder Support for U.S. Navy

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May 21, 2024, 10:16 ET

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As New York City hosts the annual Fleet Week in celebration of the nation's sea services, HII (NYSE: HII) – the nation's largest military shipbuilder and a sponsor of the Intrepid Museum's commemoration of the event – is launching a hiring campaign to spotlight the contributions and rewards of building ships for the U.S. Navy.

The HII "Build It" campaign is dedicated to the men and women who partner with the U.S. Navy to build ships critical to the national defense. Shipbuilders value the mission and pride in ship construction, steady advancement and job security, and comprehensive benefits such as health coverage and professional development opportunities.

"The breadth of our workforce at HII is astonishing," said Xavier Beale, vice president of human resources at HII's Newport News Shipbuilding. "From the craftsmen and women in our shipyards who build the most powerful ships in the world with their own hands, to the nuclear engineers who enable safe nuclear power and propulsion, all the way to the cyber and data scientists who build the tools that deliver decision advantage: it's a workforce for our 21^st century national defense."

In addition to Newport News Shipbuilding, which is the nation's only builder of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of two builders of nuclear-powered submarines, HII's divisions include Pascagoula, Mississippi-based Ingalls Shipbuilding that delivers amphibious ships, destroyers and cutters, and McLean, Virginia-based Mission Technologies, which builds technologies and solutions that connect and strengthen an all-domain force.

HII's Build It campaign targets workers of all ages and skill levels, and highlights paid training and development at its shipyards for those who require it.

Russell Dawson, 36, was accepted into the century-old Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School right out of high school. Since graduating in 2010, Dawson has supported aircraft carrier and submarine programs at the shipyard, moved up the ranks and is currently working on the Columbia-class program, the Navy's top acquisition priority. "I've always wanted to serve my country," said Dawson. "I see my work as a shipbuilder doing just that. It's an honor to help build the greatest ships for our Navy."

From an apprentice to a master shipbuilder who has worked over 40 years at the company, HII shipbuilders contribute daily to national security. Stan Brazell, manager of quality receipt and inspection at Ingalls Shipbuilding, began his career in 1991 as an outside machinist apprentice and over the course of his career has worked on almost every ship program at Ingalls, including the construction of USS Bataan (LHD-5). "I view this job as my way of serving our country," said Brazell. "While I may not be wearing combat boots, I do wear work boots and those boots have allowed me to contribute to building freedom."

The Build It campaign will appear on social media, digital and display advertising, and local television. HII expects it will complement a current national advertising campaign launched by the U.S. Navy, which is aimed at energizing a movement to attract workers in support of shipbuilding and the national defense. Examples of videos in support of HII's campaign are:

Build It: Preshus
Build It: Kevin
Build It: Grant
Build It: Quadale

Engaging Future Shipbuilders

Throughout the year HII is proud to play a role in fostering a culture of innovation, growth, and community engagement by investing in initiatives that support and inspire the leaders of tomorrow. For example, HII recently partnered with the Tall Ship Providence Foundation in Alexandria, Va., on an upcoming educational video series for fourth graders about the history of shipbuilding. The series emphasizes the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and the ongoing significance of shipbuilding to the nation. HII believes that the video series and the Foundation's continued educational efforts will inspire young talent to explore career opportunities in shipbuilding. Watch a preview of the video titled "How to Build a Ship: Who Builds Ships" here.

For information about employment opportunities and careers at HII, including shipbuilding, visit HII.com/careers.

About HII
HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII's mission is to deliver the world's most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.

As the nation's largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HII's workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit: