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Little Rock, Ark. (Sept. 11, 2024) — Be Pro Be Proud has announced an exciting new partnership with BlueForge Alliance (BFA) to promote career opportunities with the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB), which seeks to preserve the strength and underscore the value of the U.S. maritime workforce. 

Through June 2025, Be Pro Be Proud will promote the opportunities and mission across the MIB by facilitating nine mobile workshops in nearly 500 cities across Georgia, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The workshops will serve to increase awareness of growing demand signal across the naval and submarine supply chain, as well as increase the number of potential next generation workforce members exploring careers at companies within the maritime supplier workforce. 

“Our hope is that these workshops will not only teach students and young adults about MIB, but attract them to technical careers within the maritime force and its no-fail mission," said Randy Zook, president and CEO of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Be Pro Be Proud, Inc. “Our partnership with BFA allows us the opportunity to highlight something that will stay with people long after we visit their city, and we look forward to sustaining our relationship with BlueForge Alliance and MIB for years to come.”

Through the partnership, these mobile workshops will primarily focus on middle school, high school and local community audiences to attract a wide range of individuals displaying different areas of interest. The workshops, which are expected to span 14,000 stops and garner roughly 125,000 visitors, will also provide a forum for supply chain partners to discuss the important contributions their companies are making.

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About Be Pro Be Proud

Be Pro Be Proud is an initiative led by the Associated Industries of Arkansas that is spearheading the movement to bring a new generation of pride, progress, and professionals to Arkansas' skilled workforce. As the current skilled workforce is at or near retirement age, Be Pro Be Proud hopes to change how Arkansans think about these job opportunities. Be Pro Be Proud offers opportunities for job seekers, skilled professionals, employers, and teachers to be involved through training, workshops and more. For more information about Be Pro Be Proud, visit BeProBeProud.org.

About BlueForge Alliance

BlueForget Alliance is a non-profit neutral integrator that supports the U.S. Navy's Submarine Industrial Base initiatives and efforts to strengthen and sustain the maritime manufacturing sector. BFA is a critical partner in the MIB's mission to ensure industry has the capability, capacity, and resilience to build and maintain America's next generation of undersea platforms. BFA is headquartered in Bryan/College Station, Texas. For more information about BlueForge Alliance, visit BlueForgeAlliance.US.