How HII Created a Talent Strategy to Intentionally Include STARs

Key Takeaways:

• Facing prolonged vacancies and high competition for talent, HII restructured its hiring practices to widen access to talent.
• The company began by redesigning a single role—intelligence analyst—to remove non-essential degree requirements.
• A cross-functional team reviewed job criteria, prioritized experience over credentials, and piloted new hiring metrics.
• The effort expanded into broader talent pipelines, including apprenticeships, internships, and internal mobility programs.
• HII’s approach balances short-term wins with long-term workforce development, offering a model for other employers.

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Case Summary:

As talent shortages threatened growth and delivery timelines, HII—America’s largest shipbuilder and a leading defense technology provider—recognized that traditional hiring practices were limiting its reach. To build a more resilient workforce, the company launched a multi-horizon strategy to create inclusive, sustainable talent pipelines.

HII started small, piloting a redesign of its intelligence analyst role by replacing degree requirements with four years of relevant experience. A hiring redesign committee—including HR, hiring managers, and communications leaders—worked together to identify and remove gating criteria that didn’t reflect the actual needs of the job. The result was a more accessible pathway for STARs (workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes) with military service, training, or on-the-job learning.

From there, the company built on early wins by expanding internal mobility, launching new apprenticeship programs, and partnering with states on broader skills-based initiatives. By aligning hiring practices with business goals and workforce realities, HII demonstrated how employers can unlock new talent sources while strengthening operational capacity.