If you asked Shawn Powell, Shop 51N marine electrician shop work leader, years ago if she ever thought about having a career at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), she would have told you something completely different than today.

Ten years ago, she was working at a bank, a single mom, and was on the hunt for stability for her and her son. Growing up, she knew about the shipyard and what it had to offer from her dad, who worked in Shop 64 as a Woodcrafter Shop supervisor. At that time, the shipyard wasn’t a career choice she was interested in. Over time, she started to change her mind. She needed stability, a good salary, benefits, and training that would lead to a career.

"I was working at jobs that didn’t pay enough for myself and my two-year-old son," said Powell. "I needed to provide us with a better future, and that is when I started looking into the NNSY Apprentice Program. I applied and got picked up first time."

Her apprentice training began in 2011, and little did she know how becoming an apprentice was really going to change her life, both personally and professionally.

"When I started as an apprentice, I knew absolutely nothing about my trade," said Powell. "I learned everything from scratch. I have learned a lot in the past eight years, and every step along the way has helped me get me to where I am today."

One of the things that has helped Powell in her career also holds a special place in her heart, which is helping others through mentoring. She remembers vividly the lost feeling she felt as a young apprentice coming into the shipyard. Since then, she has made it a point to help others get rid of that feeling while teaching them some valuable tools that will help them throughout their shipyard career.

"I started seeing that feeling and expression in apprentices coming in behind me. In my second year as an apprentice, I started mentoring them," said Powell. "Once I started, I knew I wanted to help and I realized that mentoring is something I really loved to do. Recently, I have focused on female apprentices. I have been teaching them how to handle certain situations, keys to doing their jobs efficiently, letting them know it is okay to speak up and stand their ground when they see, hear, or experience something that is wrong. Being able to mentor new apprentices is just one of the things that makes me happy here."

"One of my favorite things about the shipyard is the family environment," added Powell. "I really like my job and I don’t dread coming into work like I did when I worked at the bank. I look forward to being here because everyone I work with are like family members. In my mind, I’m coming to work, but I am doing stuff with my family, and what we are doing is really important not only to me, but to our family, our shipyard, and our country."

She feels her job as a material handler is very important to NNSY's mission, her coworkers, and helps those on the waterfront working on the boats. Powell’s job eliminates supervisors waiting for materials they need for their team to work on the boats. She is behind the scenes gathering, staging, and storing materials for all of the shifts on the USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) project.

"Being a material handler is a busy job, but it is really important to those on the deckplates," explains Powell. "This process cuts out a lot of extra time that they need to focus on the project. They come and pick up the designated materials when they need it, take it back to the boat, and production flows the way it should."

Balancing mentoring, being a material handler, and spending time with her work family supports her number one priority, being with her son and new husband who she met during apprentice training.

"Family is very important to me," said Powell. "Outside of work, I spend a lot of time with my family. Both my husband and I have huge families. We are that family that has dinner together at grandma’s house every Sunday. We also get together for everyone’s birthday and celebrate with cake and ice cream."

While family time is at the top of her list, so is pursuing her education. She is currently working on her bachelor’s degree in accounting. She really likes her job as a material handler, but feels her forte is working in the business side of things of the shipyard.

"My ultimate goal is to work in a business, budgeting, or accounting office within the shipyard," said Powell. "My other goal is to retire from the shipyard because after going through the apprentice program and having a career here, I really don’t think I could go and be happy anywhere else. This place changed my life."

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