THE STATE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN
THE RECREATIONAL MARINE TRADES - A MMTA POSITION PAPER

We acknowledge the acute need for skilled workers in the recreational marine trades, particularly marine technicians. We also recognize that this is a national industry problem, not peculiar to Massachusetts. Therefore we are committed to the development of programs that build an awareness of our Industry and its needs, and the education and training of a skilled workforce to fulfill those needs.

We recognize the need for an 'awareness' program for young persons at the grade school level. In years gone by, grade schools had 'shop programs' where students learned 'hands on' skills such as carpentry, electrical, metalwork, drafting, etc. Many of these programs have long since disappeared, victims of a philosophy that favors pure 'academics' over a combination of 'academics' with 'hands on' pursuits. It may well explain why skilled tradesmen are in short supply in MA and throughout the country. We need to find a way to reach these future members of the workforce to make them aware that there are attractive, well paying, enjoyable career paths open to them in the marine trades. MMTA has teamed with the MA Workforce Boards and MA educators in the "K through Jobs" initiative, a strategic effort to create a high growth, demand driven job training program.

Further, we need to promote education and training for recreational marine on the high school and college levels. MMTA has created the Massachusetts Marine Trades Educational Trust, a foundation dedicated to those endeavors. The Trust promotes such education and training through a vocational initiative and through scholarships to deserving persons looking to develop basic recreational marine trades skills. MMTA has supported the development of marine technology courses in MA high schools, including existing programs at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School and Plymouth South High School, as well as emerging programs in other communities such as Quincy and Lexington. We hope to duplicate such programs in southeastern MA, the North Shore, and western Ma. We acknowledge the existence of many fine vocational technical high schools in our state, which could embrace the recreational marine trades and produce the future skilled workforce for our Industry. We also acknowledge the existence of a few good college level courses such as those offered by the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and U Mass Boston, especially the offerings in marina management. Until now, we have never had, to our knowledge, a college level marine technology program in MA. MMTA, with Massasoit Community College has established two programs, a basic overview (of the Industry) called Boating Trades Certificate I and the brand new Marine Technician Certificate Program, a 475 hour, 3 semester course in marine mechanics.

As a consequence of the relatively new programs mentioned above, we have a decided need for trainers and educators for our marine technology programs. MMTA recognizes this emerging need, and has teamed with U Mass Boston to look into this problem, possibly utilizing their Cordage Park, Plymouth facility. MMTA and U Mass Boston are also exploring the possibility of a detailed study of the Industry's workforce problems with the Urban Institute, which has done a similar study in the Broward County, Florida recreational marine industry.

We have an identity problem among those persons who are the 'promoter marketers' in the schools, guidance counselors, teachers, administrators. We need to establish a program to educate these persons on the depth and breadth of this 1.7 billion dollar MA recreational marine industry. Only then will we have proper promotion in the schools to cater to our workforce needs.

Another key workforce problem faced by our Industry is the 'graying' of the recreational marine trades ownership/management workforce with few skilled persons in the 6pipeline' to replace those who will leave these endeavors. Again, we need to establish a pipeline to fill this demand.

We have started to build awareness among the career professionals at Career Centers and the members of our MA Workforce Boards. We need to continue and enhance those efforts, that we embrace all of these people in the state so that we may fill the acute workforce needs from the coast to the west, north and south.

Admittedly, we have a sometimes apathetic attitude on the part of our own Industry businesses and employers when it comes to workforce issues, until it becomes 'crisis time'. We need to continue to build awareness among our own constituency concerning workforce problems and timely resolution of those problems. Being too busy to deal with such problems will lead us in a path towards industry chaos. 'Stealing' employees from one another is not the answer this industry deserves or wants.

We have had a problem 'on high' for years a lack of leadership at the national level on key workforce issues (the acute need for skilled technicians, the lack of good basic training programs for entry level people (programs outside of our industry), and certification standards). Fortunately, we recognize these problems are finally getting addressed, as we have an Industry call for a Summit in Ft. Lauderdale in February, 2005 on Education and Training for our Industry. MMTA needs to help show the way here, with the great educational institutions we have in Ma. and the fact that we are addressing our workforce needs with the help of the MA Workforce Boards, Higher Education and the support of the public schools. So, MMTA acknowledges there is change in the wind here, and we are committed to being a part of this positive change.

Finally, we are proud to say that we have been recognized as a 'critical and emerging' industry by the Workforce Boards of Ma. The recreational boating business is big business in our state, with 1260 marine trades businesses, 17,741 full time employees, an annual payroll approaching $509,000,000., over $25,000,000. in annual tax revenues, and approaching two billion dollars in annual spending. This success and growth has been realized for the most part in the last twenty years, with all the accompanying problems and opportunities that brings. We have not participated in this last recession; our industry is booming. We need to pay attention to key issues such as access to the waters edge, environmental stewardship, growing boating, safe boating and port security, legislative hot topics, and not least of all, those issues that negatively impact the workforce in the Massachusetts recreational marine trades.

THE JOB AHEAD - A SHORT LIST
  1. MMTA, through its Education Committee and the Massachusetts Marine Trades Educational Trust, will endeavor to take all measures at its disposal, to relieve the acute shortage of skilled workers, particularly marine technicians, in our recreational marine Industry.

  2. MMTA will endeavor to 'reach out' to grade schools and middle schools by advocating for 'basic (technical) training' programs and/or career awareness programs for students that new (technical) avenues and career choices may open for them.

  3. MMTA will support the establishment and continuance of marine technology programs at the high school and college levels to provide an entry level semiskilled workforce for the recreational marine trades.

  4. MMTA will advocate for vocational education, that people learn to work with their hands as well as their minds.

  5. MMTA acknowledges a problem with the 'graying" of the recreational marine trades ownership/management workforce. We will support programs to provide for a 'pipeline' to replace workers who retire or otherwise leave the Industry.

  6. MMTA will endeavor to help establish and sustain programs to 'train the trainers'. We need a steady supply of persons who can educate and train the necessary skilled workers for our Industry.

  7. MMTA will endeavor to establish avenues to build an awareness of the recreational marine trades and the jobs/careers in the Industry, particularly among the 'promoter marketers' in the schools guidance counselors, teachers, administrators, etc.

  8. MMTA will similarly reach out to the career professionals at Career centers and Workforce Boards to create this 'awareness'.

  9. MMTA will combat apathetic attitudes among 'its own' employers and businesses, concerning workforce issues. It is recognized that some in our Industry wait to deal with these serious issues until its 'crisis time'.

  10. MMTA recognizes a lack 'of Industry leadership at the national level on key workforce issues (the lack of availability of skilled workers, the lack of good basic training programs for entry level people, and certification standards being a few of those issues). MMTA recognizes that this may be changing and pledges to do its share by participating in the current debate and lending its resources towards solutions.

  11. The recreational marine trades is an emerging Industry, a 'new kid' on the block. The MA Workforce Boards have labeled us "critical and emerging". We recognize that we need to build an 'awareness' of our Industry and MMTA pledges to promote our Industry and our jobs/career paths to the citizens of MA. Who will become our skilled workforce of the future?
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Massachusetts Marine Trades Assocation
Ed Lofgren, 3A Marine, Education Committee Chair
P. O. Box 272
Milton, MA 02186

Dedicated to the Future of the Recreational Marine Trades in Massachusetts

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