NSWC Crane hosts NLCC for Faculty Tours, Explores Future Defense Workforce Pathways

NSWC Crane hosts NLCC for Faculty Tours, Explores Future Defense Workforce Pathways

By Alexis Weidner-Bennett, NSWC Crane Corporate Communications

Seventeen faculty and staff members from the North Lawrence Career Center (NLCC) visited Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) on Oct. 6 to learn more about potential defense career paths in southern Indiana and align vocational instruction with the needs of the defense ecosystem.

The six-hour engagement provided educators with an on-site look at technical operations, career pathways, and hiring practices across the Crane enterprise - including not only NSWC Crane, but also the Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Crane, and the Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA) - as well as surrounding defense industry partners.

The visit began with a driving tour through the WestGate Industrial Park before entering NWS Crane. The educators then toured various facilities across the installation, observing technical areas ranging from weapon systems production and support to state of the art additive manufacturing capabilities.

Following the tours, the group transitioned to an interactive briefing and discussion highlighting career paths among the Commands operating at Crane. The panel question-and-answer session featured nine Team Crane representatives discussing hiring practices and both current and future technical career paths at Crane. The panel offered an opportunity for NLCC educators to hear directly from various professionals about the skills most desired among future applicants.

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"Having grown up in Lawrence County and now working at NSWC Crane, it's important that we partner with our local educators and help them understand the skills required of our future workforce," said Adam Parsley, Prototyping Lead at NSWC Crane. "Time has a way of sneaking by us - this year's NLCC freshman could be working alongside myself or any number of other Crane employees on a ship, in a lab, or at a range in just six to eight years."

NLCC holds a special place for many NSWC Crane employees and contractors, as many who work within this sector gained skills within their program.

"The North Lawrence Career Center laid the foundation for my electrical engineering education and career," said Tye Hooten, Chief Engineer at NSWC Crane.

The visit by NLCC, a part of the wider STEM outreach program at NSWC Crane, lays the foundation for a workforce ready to meet the current and future needs of our warfighters. By highlighting the current demands and services NSWC Crane provides for the fleet, programs like NLCC can adjust their curriculum to fill that need.

"Part of our mission is to prepare students for real-world, authentic experiences, and there's no better way than to experience it ourselves. The conversations among the personnel on base and the instructors is invaluable," said Amy Redman, NLCC Director. "We can take those conversations back to our students and stress the importance of developing a strong work ethic and communication skills."

The visit concluded at WestGate Academy with an overview of WestGate Industrial Park development initiatives, provided by the Uplands Science & Technology Foundation. The brief underscored the growth of the WestGate area and emphasized the collaboration among defense Commands, academia, industry, and regional authorities.

"This trip showcased what is required of our students to plan for the future, prepare to enter the workforce, and meet the requirements of the defense industry," said Aaron Harrell, an NLCC Instructor.

About NSWC Crane | NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions, and Electromagnetic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi-spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's warfighter.