March 29, 2024
Letter

Boat building benefits

I am deeply angered by Washington County Community College’s (WCCC) decision to suspend the boat building and marine mechanics programs located in Eastport. This irresponsible and shortsighted decision is a blow to Maine’s boat building industry.

As Maine struggles to keep its educated youth from crossing state lines, elimination of such programs simply makes no sense. Boatyards in Maine express a need for skilled mechanics, designers and boat builders. There are more jobs available than there are people capable of filling them. These are well paying jobs in a solid Maine-based industry.

The boat school graduates students armed with current knowledge of boat building techniques. These graduates find solid placement within Maine’s thriving boat building industry. This is WCCC’s only program that is unique when compared with other community colleges. I came from another country to attend the school, and have since settled in Washington County and work at my chosen trade in Eastport. This program brings young people to Maine and it keeps Maine’s educated youth here. It is a significant contributor to Maine’s “creative economy.”

No doubt there are alternative solutions to handling WCCC’s budget cuts – fees for supplies, tuition adjustments and particularly aggressive marketing to out-of-state and foreign students. Those responsible for the suspension of this program must make good on their word to use the next year to make improvements not to implement the boat school’s elimination.

I hope WCCC’s President Bill Cassidy’s statement in the Bangor Daily News March 15 was sincere and not political double speak. Cassidy should realize the unique and important educational program he has with the boat school and act wisely with his administrators to maintain its existence.

Karen Munday

Eastport


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