Growing up in Puerto Rico and Florida, materials engineer Jennifer Feliciano-Roman dreamed of working for the defense industry.
It was at the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) national conference in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2012, that she first learned about NAVAIR and made her dream come true when she was hired in 2013.
Feliciano-Roman is just one of many employees hired as a result of NAVAIR’s recruiting partnership with diversity-focused organizations such as SHPE, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Society of Women Engineers, among others. NAVAIR recruiters say the goal is to recruit a diverse pool of scientists and engineers to fill positions through the Engineer Scientist Development Program and Naval Acquisition Development Program.
NAVAIR’s diversity recruiting efforts are about to get even stronger. In February 2013, NAVAIR and four other Navy commands teamed up to reduce recruiting costs, create efficiencies and increase the number of high quality, diverse job applicants.
The partnership has already saved approximately $300,000 in recruitment costs and opened up more opportunities for NAVAIR to participate in diversity events and affinity groups, reaching more potential job candidates. In the future, the partnership plans to expand to include other Navy entities and professional organizations.
“Diversity is a key element of NAVAIR’s recruitment strategy and helps position us an employer of choice,” said Tania Dawson, NAVAIR’s Recruiting and Retention Program Manager. “This partnership is a new tactic to reach a diverse audience while integrating our current college recruitment strategy. Ultimately, we want to take advantage of the different experiences, backgrounds and talents of
