In partnership with Workforce Alliance in New Haven, the Connecticut Maritime Coalition and the Connecticut Marine Trades Association, Sound Marine Skills, Inc., located on the campus of the Sound School Regional Vocational Aquaculture Center, will recruit and train post-secondary graduates and adults who seek career opportunities in marine skilled trades while, at the same time, helping to mitigate the maritime industry’s critical labor shortages.  The instructional vehicle is the American Boat and Yacht Council’s (ABYC) National Marine Trades Curriculum Certification program. Candidate recruitment, assessment, evaluation and selection will be done jointly by Sound Marine Skills, Inc. and Workforce Alliance.

Instruction begins as a full-time summer or part-time evening program which focuses on workplace preparation and classroom concentration on the ABYC program modules covering the full range of marine skilled trades – each a potential specialized skill area.  Taught by ABYC-accredited and highly specialized instructors for persons beginning their career preparation or wishing to explore career alternatives, full-time classroom and shop teaching is quickly integrated with directed
workplace experience at area marina-teaching partners.  During the academic year, classroom and shop instruction is taught during evening classes as Adult Education Programs at the two Aquaculture Centers while the student-interns continue their daytime work experiences at the marinas.

Upon completion of each module’s classroom and shop contact hours, Provisional Certification will be awarded in recognition of the student’s considerable achievement.  Thereafter, Full Certification will be awarded upon completion of the marine industry internship as specified by ABYC, the required proficiency examination and receipt of a Letter of Satisfactory Employment from the internship supervisor.