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Maritime Industry Briefing: Engineering Workforce Development and Defence Technology Appointments
By MGN Editorial•September 8, 2026 at 06:00 PM
This week's industry briefing covers workforce development initiatives in engineering and a senior leadership appointment in defence technology, with implications for the broader maritime and heavy industry sectors.
## Maritime Industry Briefing
### Chase Corporation Backs Women in Engineering Through SWE Partnership
Chase Corporation, a speciality chemicals and materials manufacturer serving marine, industrial, and infrastructure markets, has announced a formal partnership with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), according to a PR Newswire release dated 8 September 2026.
The collaboration is designed to advance STEM education, fund scholarships for aspiring female engineers, and deepen employee engagement across Chase Corporation's workforce. The initiative reflects a growing recognition within heavy industry — including the maritime supply chain — that closing the gender gap in engineering disciplines is essential to sustaining long-term talent pipelines.
The maritime sector has historically faced significant workforce shortages in technical and engineering roles, and partnerships of this nature are increasingly viewed as a strategic response to that challenge. By investing in early-stage STEM education and professional development, companies operating across marine coatings, cable protection, and infrastructure materials stand to benefit from a broader and more diverse pool of qualified engineers in the years ahead.
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### Parry Labs Appoints Scott DeVona as Chief Revenue Officer
Defence technology firm Parry Labs has named Scott DeVona as its new Chief Revenue Officer, the company announced via PR Newswire on 8 September 2026. DeVona brings more than two decades of experience in defence software and is tasked with leading revenue strategy and execution as demand grows for open-architecture interoperability solutions at the tactical edge.
While Parry Labs operates primarily within the defence technology space, its focus on rapid interoperability platforms has direct relevance to naval and maritime defence procurement, where open-systems architecture is increasingly mandated by allied navies seeking to integrate multi-vendor sensor and communications systems aboard surface vessels and submarines.
DeVona's appointment signals the company's intent to scale aggressively, with a stated ambition built on a proven track record of driving revenues exceeding $100 million. His arrival is expected to accelerate Parry Labs' positioning within defence maritime programmes as procurement cycles for next-generation naval platforms intensify across NATO member states.
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*Sources: PR Newswire Heavy Industry feed, 8 September 2026.*
#STEM workforce#maritime engineering#defence technology#naval systems#workforce development#heavy industry#open architecture
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