Workforce System Success Stories - Workforce Development and Adult Learning

Business Services │ Customized Recruitment
Local workforce system conducts extensive recruitment activities to help employers meet talent needs.

The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) is a major employer in southern Maryland that operates facilities located in a region that spans both sides of the Maryland/Virginia border. NAVFAC Deputy of Public Works Officer James Thompson reached out to the Southern Maryland workforce development area’s Business Engagement Specialist Jacklyn Chembars to help him address some serious staffing challenges confronting his organization. He had nearly 30 openings that needed filling immediately, in various construction-related positions.

After consulting with Officer Thompson to thoroughly understand his requirements, Jacklyn promptly started the ball rolling to organize a customized recruitment campaign for NAVFAC. She cast a wide net for talent with a series of four recruitment events, conducted in different locations throughout the region. Jacklyn partnered with the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) to secure space for three of the four recruitment events. CSM hosted one event at the college’s Center for Trades and two additional events at CSM’s Velocity Center.

Jacklyn and her team worked hard to promote the recruitment events, utilizing a variety of social media platforms, email communications, and other advertising avenues. The recruitment team fielded questions from interested jobseekers, conducted initial assessments of their employment needs, made referrals to partner services, as appropriate, and pre-screened potential applicants to ensure the recruitment produced quality candidates with the technical skills NAVFAC needed. They continued to accept incoming résumés via email, even after each event, to capture leads on candidates who were not able to attend the recruitment events due to schedule conflicts.

All the hard work paid off! In addition to 326 registrants (217 attended), another 61 jobseekers joined one of the recruitment events as walk-ins. As a result of the customized recruitment, NAVFAC extended 17 job offers, and 14 candidates were successfully onboarded.