Meet Jacqueline Rondeau, Director of Employer Engagement in Maritime at the Hampton Roads Workforce Council and a TPM Fellow who is leading the charge to address critical workforce shortages in Virginia’s maritime industry. A dynamic leader with over a decade of proven excellence in workforce development, Rondeau is known for her dedication to performance, her ability to communicate effectively, and her talent for building strong relationships with both businesses and individual clients.
Since joining the TPM Academy® in 2022, Rondeau has applied the framework to organize the Maritime Collaborative in the Hampton Roads region. She currently spearheads the region’s pioneering Maritime Collaborative, uniting shipbuilding and ship repair companies to streamline and enhance the talent pipeline. Her work is grounded in a deep understanding of industry needs and a strategic approach to align workforce solutions with employer demand.
Rondeau’s employer collaborative focuses on collecting real-time, employer-driven data to identify workforce needs and align training programs accordingly. Her leadership led to the development of a supply-demand analysis that is now guiding millions in workforce investments, (Statistics: Capacity for Marine electrician is 1003, 691 enrolled or 136 pipefitters compared to 568 in demand), including funding from the Maritime Industrial Base. These efforts have created a trusted space for collaboration in an industry that has historically operated in silos, and they are helping to ensure that training programs are aligned with the specific needs of employers.
Her approach is rooted in deep industry knowledge and a commitment to employer leadership. Rondeau has leveraged her longstanding relationships in the maritime sector to bring together stakeholders who previously operated independently. By fostering open communication and shared goals, she has helped employers articulate their workforce challenges and co-design solutions with training providers.
Despite early staffing challenges and the presence of competing organizations in the same space, Rondeau’s persistence and credibility helped carve out a respected role for TPM in the region. Her ability to navigate these challenges and maintain momentum has been critical to the success of the employer collaborative. She has also played a key role in mentoring new staff and preparing for the launch of additional employer collaboratives, including one focused on healthcare.
Rondeau remains an active contributor to the TPM National Learning Network (NLN). She regularly attends NLN Summits and webinars, and she shares her experiences with her NLN peers across the country as a TPM Academy Mentor. Her engagement with the network has helped her stay current on best practices and has expanded her ability to support other practitioners. Reflecting on her involvement, she shared:
“I have remained involved since graduation and attend workshops and summits whenever possible. I have made numerous contacts with TPM practitioners around the country and do not hesitate to communicate with them. In addition, I regularly attend TPM Connections and contribute to everything I can.”
Her work is now serving as a model for future industry expansions in Hampton Roads and beyond. Rondeau’s commitment to employer-led workforce development continues to shape the region’s approach to talent pipeline management and inspire other leaders across the TPM network.
