The following is the text of a news release from Southeast Maritime and Transportation (SMART) Center:
(VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) — In recognition of National Registered Apprenticeship Week, the Southeast Maritime and Transportation (SMART) Center today released the most recent video in its "Make the SMART Choice" career awareness series. The video — "Registered Apprenticeship Pathway" — features three current apprentice technicians in the maritime and transportation industry.
The SMART Center's work in maritime and transportation industry sectors includes focus on careers in ship maintenance and modernization; port operations and marine logistics; vessel operations and pleasure craft; and emerging maritime-dependent technologies including offshore energy and operations.
"In our first round of funding under the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE) program, the SMART Center developed a SMART Maritime Technologies pathway, based on the registered apprenticeship model, featuring stackable academic and industry-valued credentials," said SMART Center PI and Executive Director Barbara R. Murray. "The pathway provides a way for apprentices to earn college credit for their required instructional classroom work, putting them on an academic as well as career pathway."
Maritime and transportation industry registered apprenticeship programs are typically four-year, employer-sponsored U.S. DOL programs that provide apprentices with a combination of on-the-job structured training under the guidance of a highly skilled mentor and occupation-specific apprenticeship-related classroom instruction.
"One of the most exciting and scalable aspects of the SMART Center's work is raising awareness among educators and industry partners of the value of this registered apprenticeship-based model pathway," said Murray. "The SMART Maritime Technologies pathway has proven to increase enrollments and completions among key targeted populations including women, veterans, first-generation college students and under-served minorities."
To view the video, click here.
