Arlington, Va. – The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) has announced its new role as a National Facilitator for the U.S. Navy Talent Pipeline Program (TPP). This initiative is designed to enhance the skills of small and medium-sized suppliers within the Defense Industrial Base, improving their talent acquisition and retention systems and boosting industrial capacity.
Eric Fanning, AIA’s President and CEO, emphasized the importance of this initiative: “Building and sustaining world-class talent pipelines is at the core of our mission—ensuring our industry stays at the forefront of innovation, while leading in recruitment, development, and retention. This initiative offers a smart, scalable solution to one of our industry’s most pressing challenges—building a sustainable, skilled workforce. By helping our members access proven team performance improvement strategies and resources, we’re not just supporting individual companies—we’re strengthening the entire defense industrial base.”
The TPP was initially launched by the U.S. Navy but is now accessible to all companies across the Defense Industrial Base. It provides employers with tools to address workforce challenges through training, coaching, and recognition without cost to participating employers. The program emphasizes collaboration among partners who share insights and data on hiring and retention practices.
Joe Barto, TPP Program Leader, stated: “AIA’s pledge to serve as a TPP National Facilitator underscores the growing impact of a program started in 2021—now with 452 Employer Partners nationwide. Our missions are aligned, and when an organization like AIA champions the value of the TPP and encourages member participation, it provides a huge tail wind for accelerating our national roll out. More importantly, AIA’s use of its conferences and forums to foster shared learning and collaboration is what TPP is all about. AIA’s endorsement and active support are invaluable to our efforts.”
In 2024 alone, over 2.2 million workers were employed in the U.S. Aerospace and Defense industry across all states including Washington D.C., highlighting the need for a resilient workforce as essential for national security.
