June 13, 2022

College of Florida Keys Marine Engineering Instructor Anthony Margiotta (ABYC Foundation’s 2021 Co-Educator of the Year) teaches students during a lab on the Key West campus

The ABYC Foundation applauds Washburn’s Boat Yard, MJM Yachts, Mercury Marine, Massachusetts Marine Trades Association, and Michigan Boating Industries Association for offering scholarships to teachers who want to attend the Marine Service Educator Training Conference, scheduled July 20-21, 2022.

The two-day virtual conference is designed for high school and post-secondary instructors and administrators who either are teaching or are thinking about teaching marine service technology in their schools. Marine industry leaders interested in addressing workforce development are also encouraged to attend and connect with the key influencers training the next generation of professionals.

“One of the most effective ways to find new hires for your facility, shop, or yard is to become actively engaged with your local school and to hire their graduates,” said ABYC Foundation executive director Margaret Podlich. “Many of these teachers are paying their own way to register–this is a great way for industry to support the educators who are training your future hires.”

“It is vital to the survival of our industry for trade schools to provide training courses that will provide young techs with the fundamentals needed to hit the ground running when they come on board, as well as to increase awareness of the opportunities that exist in the marine repair industry,” said Bill Brandon, vice president of Washburn’s Boat Yard. “By sponsoring a representative from the College of Southern Maryland, our goal is to show them that there are both resources available and a strong demand for training opportunities that would benefit both the college and our industry.”

Conference speakers will cover how people learn, the state of the industry, specific training aids for boat-related systems, resources for schools including the Foundation’s recently launched Marine Trades Accreditation Program, and more. Participants will find inspiration and ideas, expand their network, and leave energized to help the next generation of boat technicians.

“Training the trainer leads to more qualified and well-trained techs, ideally with their own ABYC certifications, and MJM Yachts is happy to sponsor an educator to attend the Educator Training Conference in July,” said Peter Johnstone, 2nd generation chairman, MJM Yachts & Pamlico Yachtworks, LLC.

Registration is open online and opportunities to sponsor teachers are still available. Visit www.teachboats.org to learn more about the Educator Training Conference or contact Margaret Podlich at 410-990-4460 x111.