FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 2, 2021
Release #2162 Point of Contact—Jeffrey Prater (401) 832-2039
NUWC Division Newport employee wins DOD Workforce Recruitment Program Outstanding Recruiter Award
Michelle Eddy, manager of the Disability Employment Program in the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport Corporate Operations Department, recently won an Outstanding Recruiter Award as part of the 2020–21 Department of Defense (DOD) Workforce Recruitment Program Awards.
Eddy, a resident of Middletown, Rhode Island, was selected by the DOD Diversity Management Operations Center for her significant contributions to the Department of the Navy’s (DON) overall mission, and to the success of the Workforce Recruitment Program, including promoting and advancing the employment of individuals with disabilities.
Eddy is a true advocate for hiring individuals with disabilities and ensuring equity in the workplace. In just three years, she has made a strong and lasting impression, often volunteering for additional tasks that offer her the opportunity to lead.
Working across Division Newport, Eddy encourages the use of the Department of Labor (DOL) and the DOD Workforce Recruitment Program, a recruitment tool that connects employers with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to demonstrate their abilities in the workplace, ensuring that Division Newport is consistently engaging in recruiting individuals with disabilities.
Eddy informs school coordinators about what is needed from students, the interview processes and what steps have been completed. She gives feedback and seeks feedback to improve her own skills. Eddy makes herself available to candidates during interview periods to allow for flexibility of the students’ schedules and time zones. She’s always in tune to the candidate’s experience during the interview, easing them as needed and walking them through the process step-by-step, the award states.
For the 2019-20 school year, Eddy was assigned to interview 12 students from the University of Connecticut. A few weeks prior to the deadline, the DOL Workforce Recruitment Program coordinator informed her that two other recruiters were unable to fulfill their obligations and asked if she could take one of the two schools. In order to alleviate the urgent need to find another recruiter on such short notice, Eddy took on both schools, the award states.
She conducted an additional five interviews for the University of Nevada and another seven for Arizona State University. Overcoming challenges with time zone differences, Eddy submitted her recruiter submission package for all three schools — a total of 24 interviews — prior to the deadline, resulting in all of the accepted students being eligible for potential placement. The DOL specifically cited her as a standout recruiter for the Navy.
Winners were recognized during a virtual ceremony broadcast over the Defense Visual Information Distribution System on July 29. The ceremony can be viewed here: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/808419/2020-2021-dod-workforce-recruitment-program-awards-ceremony
NUWC Division Newport is a shore command of the U.S. Navy within the Naval Sea Systems Command, which engineers, builds and supports America’s fleet of ships and combat systems. NUWC Newport provides research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems, and countermeasures associated with undersea warfare.
NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.
Join our team! NUWC Division Newport, one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island, employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals, as well as talented business, finance, logistics and other support experts who wish to be at the forefront of undersea research and development. Please connect with NUWC Division Newport Recruiting at this site- https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/ and follow us on LinkedIn @NUWC-Newport and on Facebook @NUWCNewport.
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