EASTPORT – Boat building has been part of this state’s economy since 1607, yet one of the college programs that trains students for the industry is being placed on hold for a year.

Known informally as the Boat School, the program includes marine mechanics as well as boat building. The Maine Technology Center or Boat School is under the auspices of the Washington County Community College.

Earlier this year, William Cassidy, president of WCCC, recommended the program be placed on hiatus.

The college president would like to have a revamped program back up and running by August 2005. Declining enrollment is being blamed for the one-year shutdown.

A daylong conference Tuesday, which included educators and state officials, was held to explore the program’s future. “This conference is to provide Washington County Community College with vital input and direction in the advancement of the Marine Technology Center in service to the community and the businesses that will benefit from its educational programs, facilities or services,” college officials said in their invitation to participants.

Absent from the meeting were industry leaders. Cassidy said this was the marine trade’s busiest season, so company owners and industry leaders were unable to attend. Earlier meetings, however, had provided insight into industry needs, he said.

Susan Swanton, spokesman for the Maine Marine Trade Association, said that the $612 million industry is nearly 100 percent controlled by people who live in Maine. The industry employs nearly 5,000 people, and more than 1,500 of those jobs are in Washington County.

Swanton said the industry needed trained people. “We need every educational opportunity we can lay our hands on to get people into this industry,” she said.

Eastport City Manager George “Bud” Finch said the school was an important part of the community because of the jobs it provided.

“The center needs to be more than boat building if it is going to survive,” State Board of Education spokesman Jim Rier added. “It needs to be a Marine Science and Technology Center.”

Participants then were asked to brainstorm ideas. Among their recommendations: create programs that target businesses beyond boat building and marine technology. “There is a sail makers business in Maine … that might be something we might put together,” Cassidy said after the meeting.

It was suggested that college leaders develop an enhanced marketing and recruitment program.

“It was also suggested that we continue to audit what business and industry needs are,” Cassidy said, “so we remain on the cutting edge.”

More conferences will be held. Participants said they would like to see a continuing dialogue with college officials.

“It is exciting. We are on the upside of this,” Cassidy said. “It will be all win in this endeavor.”