Ingalls is the ideal place for veterans looking to continue serving the nation. Cara Winstead, Ingalls military liaison recruiter, pairs the shipyard with our American heroes who contributed to the mission and still want to support the purpose.
“My primary focus is hiring our military veterans,” said Cara. “My job is to find talent, screen those that apply and hire people who are the most qualified.”
Cara is responsible for attending local and national hiring events to find potential shipbuilders. She also helps train new talent acquisition representatives at Ingalls on the shipyard's processes, systems and compliance requirements.
"These efforts allow Ingalls to uphold its reputation as a company that supports and embraces veterans," said Cara. “It’s important for us to pay it forward to those we build these ships for so they know about the career opportunities they have here once they exit the military.”
She also works closely with the Veterans Employee Resource Team (VERT) employee resource group (ERG) for recruiting opportunities. Working with several military support groups gives Cara the opportunity to make a difference in a veteran’s life.
“My first experience of the impact we have as a company happened five years ago when I extended a job offer to a woman as a shipfitter,” said Cara. “She immediately started crying and told me her children would now have a wonderful Christmas because of Ingalls. That’s when I knew I found my passion.”
Cara is now 21 years into her career at Ingalls, and she continues to contribute to the company culture and change lives through her work as a recruiter. Like her many family members who work or have worked at Ingalls, she’s proud to call herself a shipbuilder.
“I love Ingalls because the work that we do every single day provides safety and freedom for our country,” said Cara. “It’s a privilege and a complete honor to be a part of this incredible legacy.”