The Seattle Maritime Academy will be hosting public tours and information sessions on the second Tuesday of every month.
The goal is to increase interest in Washington State Ferries (WSF) jobs and enrollment at the academy.
The academy is part of Seattle Central Community College in Seattle. Marine engineering students train in the classroom, aboard vessels, and using an engine room simulator. Approximately 25 percent of WSF’s current engine room employees graduated from the academy.
Engine room jobs can pay more than $60 per hour.
“There’s huge demand for merchant mariners, not just at Washington State Ferries, but across the entire industry,” academy Associate Dean Dale Bateman said. “We offer a fast-track program to train the next generation of mariners. Students in the marine engineering technology unit can graduate and be on the water in as little as a year.”
WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the United States. Annually, it carries tens of millions of passengers.
WSF’s ongoing recruitment and enrollment outreach encourage women and other under-represented groups, including people from communities of color, to consider maritime training and careers.
The next informative session will be held on May 10.