Skagit Valley College's Whidbey Campus Marine Maintenance Technology program offers 21 classes related to marine trades, includeing ABYC Electrical Certification. It recently expanded its lamination class offering and installed ten stations for vacuum infusion lamination training (VIP). Marine program faculty interned at Northern Marine to practice state-of-the-art competencies to be incorporated into program outcomes. With over 50 years of experience in the aluminum boat industry, Skagit Valley College's Welding program instructors have developed a curriculum and are working with boat builders to make any needed changes. WorkSafe Institute customized safety training under SVC Workforce Education, developed and delivered curriculum specific to over 200 employees in the marine industry this past year.

It is estimated that 80% of the super-yachts in the United States are built in Northwest Washington. From military applications, custom kayak manufacturers, design firms, related services and value added businesses, marine manufacturing is a robust segment of the regional economy with tremendous growth potential. There are more yacht building yards between Vancouver, BC and Vancouver, WA than any other region of the world outside of northern Europe. Data from the US Census Bureau 2002 Economic Census show that the value of shipments for inboard boat and ship manufacturing rose from $74 million in 1997 to $118 million in 2002; and the value of outboard boat building activity rose from $26 million annually to $37 million. These two examples include pleasure, commercial and military craft.

This exciting statistic translates into tremendous career opportunities in our region. Jobs in Marine Technology include fiberglass laminators and fabricators; marine carpenters; aluminum welders, fitters; transportation equipment painters; electricians; team assemblers; plumbers, and pipefitters. All these positions were identified as difficult to fill in a NW Boat Builders Survey conducted in October 2003. The emerging high demand for aluminum boats has now added the aluminum welding/fitting specialty to this high demand list.

The Northwest Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing Technology, in partnership with industry leaders, educators and economic development associations across the State, is developing a training and certification system to provide incumbent (current) workers with student-led, self-paced trainings and learning outcomes validated by Marine Industry Employers. In addition to outstanding Marine Technology courses offered at partner schools today, the Center for Excellence is creating a series of modular online courses in subjects that provide future-focused training in flexible formats to match workers' schedules. The first of these self-guided modules will be offered in the fall of 2004, with a complete program of over fifty Manufacturing Curriculum modules soon to follow. Puget Sound Region Employers are driving this development process to ensure the alignment of training and education with jobs requiring the skills taught.

Current Employees' skills will become obsolete if no retraining occurs. The Center produces programs to help you embrace lifelong learning and skill enhancement for career progression. By gaining the skills to be efficient and productive in a highly specialized environment, and by learning not only specialized Marine Technology skills, but also the ability to make decisions in a constantly changing, dynamic workplace, you position yourself as an invaluable asset.
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The Center is designing specialized training to serve today's Marine Technology workers. College training and enhanced skill programs are the gateway to many rewarding and well paid careers in the Marine Technology industry. These courses will train you to use the latest technologies and to think critically about how to apply those technologies to solve manufacturing problems.

Contact The Center of Excellence to learn about the finest Marine Manufacturing & Technology certificate and degree programs in Washington State. We're here to ensure that you find the education you need and the resources to help you move ahead in the world. The Center will help you customize your career development plan so that you are on the leading edge of Marine Manufacturing & Technology career professions.