Auburn University and U.S. Navy expand partnership to connect Alabamians with submarine careers

Auburn University and U.S. Navy expand partnership to connect Alabamians with submarine careersAuburn University and U.S. Navy expand partnership to connect Alabamians with submarine careers

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn University is expanding its partnership with the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) Program Office to help connect people across Alabama with the careers and opportunities needed to build and sustain America’s nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

The multiyear partnership brings together the reach of Auburn Athletics, the expertise of Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and BuildSubmarines.com, the national workforce outreach and attraction platform supporting the submarine industrial base.

The SIB Program Office works to strengthen the network of companies, workers and technologies needed to build and sustain U.S. Navy submarines. A critical part of that mission is ensuring the submarine industrial base has the skilled workforce necessary to meet the Navy’s long-term production needs.

Through the partnership, Auburn will help raise awareness of the wide range of civilian careers supporting submarine construction while connecting people across Alabama with employers, training pathways and opportunities to contribute to the submarine industrial base.

As part of the expanded partnership, Auburn fans will see BuildSubmarines.com prominently featured on the Neville Arena court, alongside additional in-venue, digital and athletics media integrations designed to increase awareness of submarine industrial base careers.

“Auburn Athletics is thrilled to join forces with the U.S. Navy in this collaboration,” Athletics Director John Cohen said. “When Athletics can support Auburn engineers who are using their expertise to strengthen our country’s capability to build next-generation submarines while promoting workforce development in our state and region, everyone benefits.”

The visibility through Auburn Athletics is one component of a broader effort to introduce more Alabamians to the companies, careers and people behind the construction and sustainment of U.S. Navy submarines.

“Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering places more engineers into the American workforce than any other engineering college in the state, and we are excited to partner with the U.S. Navy on this ambitious effort to transform our nation’s submarine fleet,” said Mario Eden, Dean of Engineering. “With our thriving Nuclear Power Generation Systems Program, coupled with our rigorous curriculum across all disciplines, we are uniquely positioned to fill the needs of this next generation effort.”

“We are incredibly appreciative of the BuildSubmarines.com initiative and its expanded partnership with Auburn, both through its relationship with Auburn Athletics and its support of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering,” said Rhett Hobart, Auburn Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Revenue Officer.

Connecting Alabamians with Submarine Careers

Building and sustaining the nation’s submarine fleet requires a large and highly skilled workforce spanning engineering, advanced manufacturing, skilled trades, technology and many other disciplines.

The partnership will use Auburn’s statewide reach, its highly engaged athletics community and its academic expertise to help more people across Alabama understand those opportunities and how they can become part of the submarine industrial base.

Through BuildSubmarines.com, career seekers can explore a wide range of civilian careers, discover employers, and identify education and training pathways that can help prepare them for those opportunities.

The partnership will also create deeper connections between Auburn students, faculty and the submarine industrial base through educational and workforce engagement.

  • Raising awareness of submarine industrial base careers among people across Alabama.
  • Creating opportunities for Auburn students and faculty to engage with representatives and subject-matter experts from the SIB Program Office and submarine industrial base.
  • Supporting career engagement through career fairs, student ambassador efforts and other workforce-focused programming.
  • Engaging Auburn engineering programs, including War Eagle Motorsports and the university’s Autonomous Racing Team.
  • Leveraging the reach of Auburn Athletics to introduce new audiences across the state to the submarine industrial base and its workforce needs.

By bringing together Auburn’s statewide influence, engineering expertise and athletics community, the partnership creates a unique opportunity to reach Alabamians who may not otherwise realize that civilian careers supporting U.S. Navy submarines are available to them.

“We’re excited to contribute to the BuildSubmarines.com initiative through this expanded partnership with Auburn Athletics and the U.S. Navy,” said Ben Harling, General Manager of Auburn Sports Properties. “The reach of Auburn Athletics gives us a tremendous opportunity to introduce fans across Alabama to an important national mission and the career opportunities supporting it.”

About Auburn University

Auburn University is a leading public, land-, sea- and space-grant institution ranked among the nation's top public universities and home to more than 35,000 students. Auburn is recognized for its exceptional student-centered education, transformational research and creative scholarship and extension programs that improve lives and foster economic growth. Guided by a culture of excellence and innovation, Auburn is dedicated to advancing communities in Alabama and beyond. Learn more at auburn.edu

About the Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) Program Office

The Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) Program Office leads the U.S. Navy’s effort to strengthen the national industrial base that designs, builds and sustains America’s submarine fleet. Through coordinated investments in the supply chain, workforce development and advanced manufacturing, the SIB Program Office works to expand the capacity and capability needed to support submarine production and sustainment.

About BuildSubmarines.com

BuildSubmarines.com is the national workforce outreach and attraction platform supporting the U.S. submarine industrial base. Funded by the U.S. Department of the Navy, BuildSubmarines.com helps Americans understand the mission and opportunities associated with submarine construction, explore civilian careers across the industrial base, connect with employers and identify education and training pathways that can help prepare them for those careers.

About Auburn Sports Properties

Auburn Sports Properties is the locally-based, exclusive multimedia rightsholder for Auburn Athletics. As a part of the Playfly Sports Properties portfolio, the Auburn Sports Properties team is igniting the beloved Auburn brand to connect with deeply-rooted fanbases through broadcast, in-arena, experiential, and technology-based marketing and media solutions. The fully scalable platform provided by Playfly Sports Properties provides unparalleled opportunities for brands to connect with the most highly engaged audiences on a local and national level. Playfly Sports Properties is a division of Playfly Sports.

Connect with the Auburn Sports Properties team by visiting www.playfly.com/properties.