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5
W
hat did you want to be when you grew up? Or,
what are you still contemplating as a career if
you feel that you haven’t
grown up
yet? If you
are reading this journal, then more than likely you are in the
maritime industry. And what a great field to be in because it’s
only looking up!
Google “Marine Industry” careers and in .26 seconds,
approximately 9,950,000 results appear. There are jobs to be
filled and it is up to the seasoned industry professionals to
encourage youth to join our workforce. There are students
looking for work in the industry.
ABYC recently attended a career fair in Annapolis, sponsored by
the National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame, where more than
one hundred 7th-12th grade students came to learn about career
opportunities in marine, maritime industries, and the military.
“There were a lot of students interested in yacht design and
asking questions about the Westlawn Institute of Marine
Technology,” said Regan Edwards, ABYC’s membership
coordinator. Westlawn, the non-profit educational arm
of ABYC, was founded in 1930 and is the only nationally
accredited distance-learning school of small-craft design in the
United States.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010 there
were approximately 5,900 jobs for marine engineers and naval
architects open, with a 17% increase in the job outlook from
2010 through 2020. While these job types are traditionally
higher salary with more education required, there are other
areas in the industry, like the Motorboat Mechanics and
Service Technicians category that also has a positive outlook.
Lee Tawney is the Executive Director at the Hall of Fame and
is a proponent to increasing the workforce. “The maritime
industry has an important and critical role in communities
across the country,” said Tawney. “Engaging young people is
not only important to the future of the industry but to the
well-being of those communities.”
The community strength can be seen in Maryland’s Center of
Applied Technology (CAT) South’s Marine Repair Program
that is offered through the public school system. Students
enter in the 10th grade or later and receive exposure to many
areas of the recreational and commercial boat building and
repair industry. Upon successful completion of two levels, the
student has the option to work off-site at an internship.
CAT South Principal Thomas Milans has good advice for
administrators who are looking to establish a marine repair
program. “Business partners, including post-secondary
educational institutions, can play a key role by helping in
many ways: designing, updating, modifying, expanding and
improving the quality of the program through examining course
outlines and competencies; assessing equipment and facilities;
defining the future employment outlook and identifying new
occupational program needs; and providing resources such
Raising the
Standards with the
FUTURE
OF
THE
MARITIME
WORKFORCE
By Nina Ullrich, Business Development/Marketing
CAT SOUTH
STUDENT
AT WORK
IN THE
CLASSROOM
