The PTMTA supported the NWMC in applying for a grant to create Real Word Readiness programs for local youth. Please see Robin Mills’ letter below and the PDF attached. Maritime businesses participating are doing their part to inspire our future workforce in the trades. Thank you.
Partnership roles vary depending upon the organization. I will reach out individually to discuss partnership roles. Please share this with your network of people. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be reviewing applications until we are full. We have a total of four spots. Until then, we will be working on the final details in preparation for a March 15th start.If you have any questions, please let me know.RWR Application
Real World Readiness program overview PDF
RWR Quick Reference Flyer SY2022-23
Thank you! ROBIN MILLS | she/her/hers
Program Director
Northwest Maritime Center
431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368
Office: 360.385.3628 x 103
Background:
The Northwest Maritime Center (NWMC) has secured funding to expand and improve
our innovative Real World Readiness (RWR) program that will address two intersecting
challenges faced on the Olympic Peninsula:
Washington State’s maritime sector is struggling to attract young people to
maritime careers, and remains desperately in need of trained workers across the
sector’s many categories. As the average age within the workforce continues to
climb and the “silver tsunami” of retirement gains momentum, the maritime
industry finds itself facing immediate challenges in filling these gaps with new,
well-trained employees from a variety of backgrounds.
Youth from the Olympic Peninsula face many unique challenges due to the
remote and rural landscape – both geographic and socioeconomic. Poverty in
many Olympic Peninsula communities is high as a result of boom/bust
economics, and exacerbated by recent off-the-chart inflation. Poverty persists
through generations, leaving many young people struggling to find opportunities
to succeed. Further, higher education barriers such as high tuition costs and
“degree inflation” have many of our area youth questioning the validity or value of
that pathway.
Real World Readiness has been born from this coalescence, and is designed to
empower youth with valuable maritime industry skills and opportunity for
personal development. This preparation will lead to new internship and job
opportunities within the maritime sector for those who might not have previously
considered the maritime industry as a career path.