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(HOUSTON) — Each year, the Lloyd’s List North American Maritime Awards acknowledges industry leaders. The awards, as stated by Lloyd's List, are "for exceptional achievement or contribution to any service sector of the North American maritime industry by a company, individual or organization. The Training Award goes to a company for outstanding commitment in training its employees on shore or at sea, or a company or institution that can demonstrate a contribution toward improving training standards across the maritime industry as a whole.”
The award was accepted by the director of the Workboat Academy, Marja van Pietersom.
The Workboat Academy offers a two-year deck apprenticeship program on campuses in Seattle, Baltimore and New Orleans for a Mate 500-1600 GRT. The pilot program started in Seattle in 2006 at MITAGS-PMI with five students, three of whom are now sailing as captain. To date the program offers five yearly programs on its three campuses.
Van Pietersom was humbled and honored to receive the award and thanked the partner companies for its vision and cooperation, without which the program would not have been able to grow to the success it is today.
The Workboat Academy is currently working with MITAGS-PMI and community colleges toward a DOL grant to create a similar program for engineering.
