Since the Professional Enhancement and Enrichment Rotation (PEER) program’s first cohort, capstone presentations have been the final deliverable for the team’s two-year experience. Capstone presentations summarize each cohort’s growth, development and work contributions.

The PEER program traces its roots to 2013, when Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin – who was then vice president of Engineering & Design – launched the Engineering & Design Rotation Program to accelerate development of engineers and designers. In 2017, the program was expanded companywide and rebranded as the Professional Enhancement and Enrichment Rotation (PEER) program.

Until 2020, white papers, live presentations and executive reviews were the traditional methods for capstone presentations. In December 2020, Cohort 12 delivered the first all-video presentation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cohort’s close bond allowed participants to exceed their original project scope. Not only did they summarize their two-year body of work, they also had the courage to address the timely topic of social awareness in the workplace. The vulnerability to share personal stories with one another served as an inspiring example of engagement, diversity and inclusion.

In December 2021, Danyelle Saunders of the Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Office invited the PEER program to participate in their last monthly “Together Strong Life Unites” panel discussion series. The session focused on the “Art of Becoming.”

The panel included Cohort 7 graduate Joshua Buchanan (X51), and Gary Figg, PEER program manager, was the guest moderator. The audience was introduced to the Cohort 12 capstone video before the panelists shared experiences and words of wisdom for growth and development.

Watch Cohort 12’s capstone video on MyNNS. No charge is provided. For more information about the PEER program, which is open to all full-time, salaried individual contributors at NNS, contact Gary Figg via email.

Watch the December 2021 ED&I Together Strong Life Unites panel discussion on MyNNS. No charge is provided. Contact Danyelle Saunders or Cassandra Bonner via email for more information about ED&I initiatives.