Mississippi’s largest manufacturing employer and shipbuilder visits The W

Students from Mississippi University for Women received a personal invitation to join the team at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding, Mississippi’s largest manufacturing employer and supplier of U.S. Navy surface combatants.

“I am thrilled that our students had the fantastic opportunity to learn more about internships, job opportunities and the business side of Ingalls Shipbuilding, a company that plays a major role in Mississippi’s economy. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of events such as these for our students and value a continued partnership with Ingalls in the future,” said Dr. Dee Larson, chair of the Department of Business at The W.

Kelsey Polovich, university liaison for business development at Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of HII, spoke to students from The W’s College of Business and Professional Studies Thursday, April 11. During the interactive presentation, Polovich shared potential opportunities for the Pascagoula-based company as well as provided a general overview of Ingalls Shipbuilding.

“One of the key objectives of the Career Services and Professional Development Center (CSPD) is to bridge the gap between academia and industry, ensuring that students are equipped with the knowledge, skills and experiences that are relevant to the demands of the workforce,” said Elise Wilson, director of the Career Services and Professional Development Center.

As a part of The W’s Quality Enhancement Plan, the university’s utilization of outside-the-classroom opportunities such as internships, mentorship programs and other high-impact learning experiences, in conjunction with professional development and career readiness curriculum, aims to position students to be prime candidates for employment after graduation.

“It was an honor to engage with students at Mississippi University for Women about the many opportunities available at Ingalls Shipbuilding,” said Polovich. “Together, with our state’s education partners, we can inspire the next generation of thought leaders to pursue a career in shipbuilding.”

Employing more than 11,000 people, HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division is the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi and a major contributor to the economic growth of Alabama. For 85 years, Ingalls has designed, built and maintained amphibious ships, destroyers and cutters for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. As the largest supplier of U.S. Navy surface combatants, Ingalls is simultaneously building four classes of ships and has pioneered the development and production of technologically advanced, highly capable ships for the surface Navy fleet for decades.

The CSPD Center is always searching for business partnerships to provide new opportunities for students. Interested businesses can contact Elise Wilson at (662) 241-7619 or email careers@muw.edu.