BIW’s Employee Resource Groups, one for veterans and one for women, have been busy since kicking off in the second half of last year. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) provide a supportive community for employees with shared identities or experiences. They are open to all employees. ERGs are involved in attracting and recruiting employees; increasing job satisfaction; contributing to a respectful workplace where all Shipbuilders feel they belong; fostering professional development through mentoring and networking; and supporting BIW’s initiatives in the community.
The Veterans Employee Resource Group kicked off with a visit to the shipyard by the Vet Center Mobile Unit which set up for the day near the West Gate. “The veteran services representatives reported that they interfaced with 117 employees, and many began health and benefits processes to make lives better for our veterans and their loved ones,” said VERG Chairman Jerome Stevens. “This event achieved the mission of the ERG, and exemplified our services to give back to our veterans and our ‘Family First’ philosophy of taking care of our own.”
On March 6, BIW veterans and family members gathered for a networking event at Flight Deck in Brunswick. Members of the group also played in the Winter Softball Classic, a tournament held in February to raise money for homeless veterans with the slogan “We play in the cold to help stop Veterans from living in the cold.” Operations and Planning Vice President Dave Clark threw out the first pitch.
The Women Employee Resource Group held their first networking event on Feb. 5 at Flight Deck. More than 40 employees from across the company participated in the informal meet and greet that featured BIW’s female directors and vice president. The group was also joined by some members of the Veterans Employee Resource Group.
A follow-up event was held at Buffalo Wild Wings in Topsham where they heard from Chief Superintendent Sarah Richardson. Richardson, who started at BIW in 2002 as a Preservation technician, described her journey to become one of BIW’s top manufacturing leaders. “Sarah did an excellent job of walking the group of women through her career path at BIW,” said Dana Cochrane, chair of the group. “She was very driven by always wanting to be the best, and would internally compete with a person to challenge herself to do better than them.”
If you are interested in joining or learning more about these Employee Resource Groups you can find information here!
