SDI Launches “ShipBuild Talent Hub” to Revitalize U.S. Shipbuilding
- SDI Projects
- May 14
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2025
Washington, D.C. — The Smart Development Institute (SDI) has launched the Shipbuild Talent Hub, a new initiative aimed at supporting capacity building for the U.S. Shipbuilding Industry through workforce development and augmentation as well as infrastructure innovation through digital transformation.
This initiative supports the federal government’s focus on revitalizing the Shipbuilding Industry in the United States through recent actions including the “Ships for America Act” and President Trump’s April 9, 2025 Executive Order on “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance.” This program applies these policies as drivers for innovation mobilizing skilled talent to train and/or augment the American Labor Force, conducting across the board process improvement in shipbuilding operations, and leveraging innovative Smart Technologies.
A Three-Pronged Approach to Build Smart Shipbuilding Communities
Conducting Workforce Development
Through its Cap-Exempt H1B Visa Program, SDI will recruit experienced maritime instructors and mentors from allied countries, including South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, to train and upskill U.S. workers for creating a robust domestic shipbuilding workforce. Areas for workforce development will encompass a wide array of skilled trade expertise including but not limited to welding, pipefitting, electrical, steel fabrication, etc.
Creating a Global Talent Pipeline for possible augmentation where and if needed
This initiative will also address shortages in shipbuilding professions. Shipbuilding is as much about scheduling, production control, and critical chain management as it is about steel fabrication, pipefitting, welding, etc. Through its Cap-Exempt H1B Visa Program, SDI will recruit experienced shipbuilding professionals from allied countries, including South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines to augment the American Labor Force in areas including but not limited to naval architecture, marine systems engineering, and other related fields to fill in gaps in shipbuilding professionals at U.S. shipyards.
Driving Digital Transformation and Innovation
The Shipbuilding Industry must embrace digital innovation to increase the efficiency as well as speed up and reduce the cost of construction of ships. SDI will partner with U.S. technology firms to bring AI-driven smart technology and other smart technology tools into shipbuilding operations—boosting productivity, streamlining workflows, and supporting a modern, tech-enabled shipbuilding workforce.
"We believe that we have a viable solution to revitalize the shipbuilding might of the United States,” said Roberto Llames, President of SDI, in a recent interview with Maritime TV, where he introduced the ShipBuild Talent Hub.
Watch the full interview on Maritime TV:
For more information on how SDI can meet your staffing needs, contact us today:
Roberto Llames, President
W: 1-833-77SMART (777-6278) x700
C: 1-703-403-9592
JiAe Sohn, Program Director
W: 1-833-77SMART (777-6278) x701
C: 1-860-338-7862
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