Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) is a division of America’s largest military shipbuilding company, with a workforce of 45,000 skilled tradespeople. Facing a 9 month backlog of shipfitters, they urgently needed to grow their workforce.

• Severe shortage of interested applicants
• Viable applicants were unfamiliar with the career and brand
• Finding female applicants was increasingly difficult

Reelist’s social recruiting tools enabled locally targeted ad campaigns, with auto-generated videos that introduced NNS and the role to applicants who had otherwise not heard of the opportunity. Applicants were able to pre-qualify, and provided step-by-step guidance to complete their applications, supporting a frictionless process that drove higher volumes of candidates.

A 9 month backlog of shipfitters had built up at NNS, creating ongoing strain on production schedules and hiring teams. By using Reelist to quickly reach and engage local skilled tradespeople, the company was able to move candidates through the funnel without delays. This approach allowed NNS to fill a 9 month backlog in just 3 weeks.

NNS not only increased hiring speed but also improved the quality of candidates entering the pipeline. Clear role context and early pre-qualification helped ensure applicants were aligned with the work and ready to move forward. As a result, the team achieved a 30% applicant-to-hire ratio, significantly improving efficiency across recruiting and operations.

Reaching underrepresented talent had been a persistent challenge, particularly when it came to attracting women into shipfitter roles. Targeted campaigns expanded awareness beyond traditional channels and introduced the opportunity to new audiences. This resulted in a 10% lift in female applicants, helping NNS make measurable progress toward a more diverse skilled trades workforce.