Electric Boat President Jeff Geiger Monday told elected and appointed leaders from Southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island that the company reached an employment level of over 17,000 employees in 2018, a number that EB has not seen in more than two decades.
Geiger presented the hiring information at briefings at the Mystic Marriott and Crowne Plaza in Warwick for about 185 political, government and community leaders. Electric Boat has conducted these annual sessions since the early 1990s.
At the briefings, Geiger announced plans to hire 1,400 employees this year. He also described the company’s progress on the Facilities Master Plan and emphasized the importance of continuing to strengthen the supply base. Geiger commended both states for their continued innovative efforts in identifying and helping to train the future workforce of EB.
By 2030, the employment level is expected to reach over 20,000 across the company.
The workforce growth is being fueled by continuing construction of Virginia-class submarines and the development of the Virginia Payload Module and the Columbia-class SSBN. Under the Navy’s current shipbuilding plan, up to 29 more Virginia-class ships will be procured at a rate of two per year through 2033, and 12 Columbia-class SSBNs will be ordered between 2021 and 2035.
“Last year was another exciting, challenging year for Electric Boat, and we very much look forward to 2019,” said Geiger. “There’s a strong horizon of work, with great opportunities for our employees, both personally and professionally.
“We very much appreciate the support we get from all of our partners from the state governments and our federal delegation to allow us to continue to carry out our purpose: to deliver the advantage that protects our sailors, our families and our freedom.”
