Newport News Shipbuilding Vice President of Trades Xavier Beale testified Oct. 26 before the House Appropriations Committee about NNS’ workforce development challenges.

Beale joined William Bonvillian, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology lecturer; Jose-Marie Griffiths, president of Dakota State University and former commissioner on the National Security Commission for Artificial Intelligence; and General Hawk Carlisle, president and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association, to deliver the testimony virtually during the first of two Defense Subcommittee hearings on workforce development.

Beale fielded questions from committee members and suggested that increased investment in federal workforce development would go a long way toward overall growth of shipbuilding talent.

“With your help and the partnership of other local, state and federal allies, the Defense Industrial Base will prosper and be in a better position to provide the support our Navy needs and our nation deserves,” he said.

NNS leadership has been invited to testify in front of Congress several times over the past decade to educate its members about the important role shipbuilding plays in our nation’s defense.

“It’s hard to overstate the importance of Congress to shipbuilding,” said Andrew Hicks, vice president of Legislative Affairs for Huntington Ingalls Industries. “Funding for our programs is provided by annual Appropriations bills for which the Defense Appropriations subcommittee has responsibility. To have leadership like Xavier invited to testify and provide recommendations allows us an opportunity to inform important decisions that impact the future of our business.”