Colonna's Shipyard · 22 hours ago
Workforce Development Manager (Job ID: 1219)
Norfolk, VA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
5+ years expColonna's Shipyard is seeking a Workforce Development Manager to support their growing workforce by aligning company initiatives to talent strategies in Norfolk, VA. The role involves leading apprenticeship programs, developing relationships with educational institutions, and ensuring compliance with workforce regulations.
ManufacturingMarine TechnologyTransportation
Responsibilities
Lead and support the organization’s registered Apprenticeship Program and other developmental programs (management trainees, interns, training programs, etc.) to cultivate a strong talent pipeline to meet current and future workforce needs
Develop/maintain strong relationships across the organization with production/operations teams and support departments, educational institutions, and training providers, as well as public/private workforce development industry and systems (regional/national)
Work will involve extensive hands-on administration/execution of various workforce development programs including strategic planning, administration, monitoring/control efforts, as well as identifying and addressing evolving talent development needs
Enhancing/managing comprehensive apprenticeship, workforce development, and talent pipeline programs, identification of training needs and development/implementation of programs that enhance organizational performance
Regular partnership with Operational and Human Resources/Talent leadership will be necessary to ensure efforts are aligned properly to meet current and future staffing demand signals
Provide full support of apprenticeship program to include recruitment, class registration, progress monitoring, data tracking/relative metrics, as well as graduation/workforce conversion. The position will serve as primary point of contact, and mentor, for apprentices and liaison to management/leadership to ensure successful program operation
Support departmental management/leadership in utilizing apprentices effectively, ensuring their integration into the workforce and contribution to organizational success
Monitor EEO compliance in the apprenticeship program and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local agencies' regulations
Establish and maintain strong partnerships with education institutions/third-party vendors, workforce development agencies/organizations, and public/private workforce systems
Lead efforts to identify, utilize, and maximize various workforce grants and available funding to optimize company costs. Support development and management of apprenticeship/workforce development budget, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources
Collaborate with various stakeholders (to include HR Operations, Talent Acquisition, Company leadership and other stakeholders) to identify workforce development needs and implement tailored training and development programs to address skills gaps and enhance organizational performance
Oversee the delivery of coordinated instruction programs, evaluate the effectiveness of apprenticeship and training programs, use data-driven insights to make continuous improvements and optimize outcomes, and report statuses/recommendations regularly
Partner with other HR leadership to create, implement, and grow various Talent Pipeline and Succession programs to ensure a ready state of available qualified talent
Develop, monitor, and proactively react to overall human capital data calls, metrics, industry trends, in consultation and collaboration with other business and HR leaders
Foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the organization, encouraging knowledge sharing and collaboration among team members
Work will often require hours beyond a standard work week with schedule availability to support operations across multiple shifts/time zones
Qualification
Required
Must have Bachelors in HR Management, Business Administration, or related field and at least 5 years of professional exempt-level experience directly relative to position. Additional experience may be considered in lieu of degree
Must have previous experience managing apprenticeship and/or workforce development programs. Project management experience may be used in lieu of direct experience with Apprenticeship
Must have proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including third-party training providers and public workforce systems
Must have strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on data-driven decision-making
Must have the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment
Must have a high level of initiative, self-motivation, and adaptability
Must have the ability to promote education, skills development, and career advancement opportunities
Must have command of HR technologies (HRIS, ATS, etc.) with professional level skills in Microsoft tools, particularly Excel
Must have exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders at all levels
Must have the ability to travel up to 25% of the time for business purposes (within state and out of state)
Preferred
Prefer experience developing training programs or apprenticeship programs specific to ship repair and industrial trades
Prefer candidate with understanding of government regulations, funding opportunities, and EEO compliance related to apprenticeships
Strongly prefer a candidate with experience creating and delivering training content on various workforce topics
Benefits
Medical/dental/vision options
Company paid disability insurances
401k with match
Legal services
Company paid holidays
Paid time off (PTO)
Company
Colonna's Shipyard
Colonna's Shipyard provider of high-quality, time-critical maintenance, repair, & fabrication services to the marine & industrial markets.
501-1000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Rebecca Wieters
Vice President / CFO
Recent News
2025-10-29
The Virginian-Pilot
2025-10-04
The Virginian-Pilot
2025-08-13
Company data provided by crunchbase