Washington Maritime Careers is presented by the NW Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology. The Center, which is part of Skagit Valley College, focuses on strengthening the connections between education and the industry to meet the technical workforce needs of the Washington State maritime industry. Meet Adam Kulass, Director of Career & Technical Education at Tacoma Public Schools. Adam shares the details of this exciting, collaborative project to help create the maritime workforce of the future.

Links to Programming, Curriculum, Career Pathway Maps, Experiential Resources.

Links to Maritime Related Associations, Organizations, Classifications, Government/Credentialing and Agencies.

Washington Maritime Careers is presented by the NW Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology. The Center focuses on strengthening the connections between education and the industry to meet the technical workforce needs of the Washington State maritime industry. Meet Meredith Brinton who started out as a deck hand and bartender and now is on her way to captaining her own boat. Learn about her path and training programs such as Compass Courses that are helping with her journey.

Today on Wave Breaker, Ann Avary, Director, Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology at Skagit Valley College sits down with Jenny Johnson of Maritime Inclusion Partners to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the maritime industry to foster a workplace that respects and appreciates the multifaceted nature of diversity. Maritime Inclusion Partners addresses the labor shortages in the maritime industry by offering consulting services to create an inclusive, safe, and sustainable US mariner workforce.

Sea Potential founders Savannah Smith, Director of Youth Engagement, and Ebony Welborn, Director of Corporate Advancement, sit down with Ann Avary, Director, Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology at Skagit Valley to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the maritime industry to engage communities of color. Learn what inspired Savannah and Ebony to follow a career in the maritime industry and start their own business. They will share their opportunities and challenges, and the passion they share encouraging and educating young students and others.

Getting an internship is one of the most important things you can do to start your career off right. Decades ago, a college degree would have been the only thing you needed to get hired at a major corporation. Now, employers increasingly look for actual experience. Your prospective employer wants to know whether you can handle the challenges of the job before they take the risk of hiring you. By getting an internship, you increase your chances of getting hired after graduation.

Congressional Budget Office Nonpartisan Analysis for the U.S. Congress: An Analysis of the Navy’s Fiscal Year 2024 Shipbuilding Plan

Get an up-close look at one of the nation’s top maritime training programs – The Seattle Maritime Academy Located by the Ballard Bridge, Seattle Maritime Academy offers two affordable US Coast Guard-approved certificate programs that prepare you for a career in commercial and passenger transportation, commercial fishing, deep-sea sailing and the workboat industry. Programs begin in the fall and comprise three 11-week quarters followed by an at-sea internship.

The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship (“SHLSS” or “School”), affiliated with the Seafarers International Union of North America, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters, AFL-CIO (SIU) is a vocational school dedicated to preparing students for successful careers as U.S. Merchant Mariners.

Executive Summary
The longer the labor shortage continues and if fewer people continue to come into the maritime industry, the easier it will be to chip away at the Jones Act and the need for a U.S. domestic fleet. The mandate for the United States is clear: we must invest in our sea services or
risk our standing as a great power. To ensure our national, homeland and economic security, we must recruit and retain the next generation of mariners to prove to our legislators and investors that the U.S. Domestic Fleet must grow and thrive again.

Core Plus Maritime offers a hands-on curriculum focused on the skills necessary for employment in the marine industry. Our program is based at the Anacortes Campus next to the Cap Sante Marina and the waterfront. Students will learn safe boat handling & navigation skills, maintenance & preservation of vessels, manufacturing materials, Gelcoat & fiberglass repair, basic marine electrical & electronics, introduction to marine propulsion & engines, boat trailer usage & repair, marina operations, and customer service skills.

Maritime High School is a new, small high school that opened in September 2021 with its first 9th-grade class. Maritime is a collaborative project of Highline Public Schools, Northwest Maritime Center, Port of Seattle, and the Duwamish River Community Coalition, with many community and industry partners engaged to support our students.

Our Apprentice Program offers a unique, world-class maritime training experience unparalleled in North America. We’re here to help you find the right career opportunity based on your interests. During every step of the process, we will support you on your path towards a rewarding maritime career.

MITAGS’ West Coast Campus in Seattle, Washington is pleased to announce a new offering of our Maritime Apprenticeship Program in partnership with Washington State Ferries.

The Inbreaker Apprenticeship Program is designed to recruit, train, and employ the next generation of commercial halibut and sablefish fishermen.

Learn the skills and receive the training you need to launch your career in the recreational boat, ship repair, and maintenance industries. Training with a faculty of industry experts, you’ll work and learn in a purpose-built professional facility, preparing you to work as a technician on recreational and commercial vessels in this high demand industry.

This resource guide is a living document. We will continually update and edit to share relevant and current resources related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging for workforce education.

The Center of Excellence is pleased to share this youth engagement webinar presented by the founders of Sea Potential, Ebony Welborn and Savannah Smith. Ebony and Savannah shared engagement strategies and great resources.