The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is partnering with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) for a new Navy Yard Skills Initiative program, which will train Philadelphia residents for permanent, full-time, union careers with the Philadelphia division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center.

The Management Assistant program seeks to connect Philadelphians with experience in office management for federal careers earning $26/hour. Recruitment for the program kicked off on Tuesday, Aug. 13 and job seekers will be able to submit applications until Friday, Aug. 23 at 5 p.m.. To apply, candidates must be a resident of Philadelphia county, commit to the full training schedule, possess a high school diploma or GED, and have previous experience using Microsoft Office Suite in an office setting. For additional information and to apply for the program, please visit: www.navyyard.org/skills.

The program is the second partnership between the Skills Initiative and Naval Surface Warfare Center, building on the success of the 2023 Industrial Trades Program. The Naval Surface Warfare Center facility at The Navy Yard employs about 2,800 people.

“It is thrilling to build on our relationship with PIDC’s Navy Yard Skills Initiative,” said Nigel Thijs, Technical Director for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division. “Expanding our collaboration to include administrative professionals, who are vital contributors to Navy mission, builds on the Pennsylvania Talent Pipeline initiatives, and we look forward to again working with NYSI to offer Philadelphia area residents a unique opportunity to serve their nation.”

PIDC, which has been the master developer and site operator of the Navy Yard since 2000, and the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, an award-winning workforce development program founded in 2009, launched the Navy Yard Skills Initiative in 2020 to bring the Skills Initiative’s jobs-driven training model to Navy Yard employers. The collaboration has resulted in nearly 200 graduates connecting with Navy Yard employers.