The Workforce Operations Office (WOO) at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst started November welcoming potential employees to visit the base to tour labs and other facilities and a meet and greet as part of the recruitment process.  

Workforce Development Supervisor Tom Riccobono said attendees included people recruited and screened at college fairs who met the skillsets needed for jobs at Lakehurst. As part of the event, candidates can interview with up to three different branches for potential employment. 

“We want to make sure the candidates have everything they need to make a well-informed decision,” Riccobono said. “We recognize we’re competing with industry for engineers, logisticians and scientists. So, as an organization, we are being interviewed as much as we are interviewing the candidates.”  

The guest speaker at the event was NAWCAD Lakehurst’s Officer-in-Charge Cmdr. Adam Pawlak, something of a new hire himself, having only arrived at Lakehurst this summer. Pawlak shared some of the stories of his time with the Navy and what he has learned about the New Jersey installation since he arrived.  

“The new recruit luncheons that the Workforce Operations Office coordinates are invaluable to both the organization and potential new hires,” Pawlak said. “It allows both parties the opportunity to gather information in an informal setting to make a more informed decision about whether future employment would be beneficial.”  

Having the military perspective in addition to the civilian side of Lakehurst provides potential candidates a unique opportunity to really learn how they can support the warfighter in any number of jobs.  

“The candidates were able to ask Cmdr. Pawlak questions and really understand how the systems and services we support have real-world impacts on our Sailor and Marine users in the country’s global humanitarian, peacekeeping and warfighting missions," Riccobono said. 

Riccobono was also able to share his own experiences working at Lakehurst, having started his employment journey at a similar event. He said one of the most interesting things he learned when considering job opportunities at the event was not only what the starting salary was but also how raises work based on the General Schedule (GS) table.  

“When I was comparing my job offers, most of the other offers were for higher starting pay. But no other offers were able to let me know what I would be making in two to three years. This information, along with the opportunities for rotations, health, and pension benefits, tuition assistance programs, and the impact I knew I could have working on the equipment our Sailors and Marines use every day really solidified my decision to choose NAWCAD Lakehurst over my other offers.”