Boat-building school fishing for new students

EASTPORT – You don’t have to know how to pound a nail to build a boat.

That is what the retooled Washington County Community College boat-building program will teach you.

The college is looking for interested students who want to be part of the Boat School.

After a year’s hiatus, the boat-building program – with a revamped curriculum and pledges of support from the marine industry – is accepting applications for fall 2005.

Boat building has been part of Maine’s economy since 1607, yet earlier this year, the college program that trained students for the industry was placed on hold to allow college officials time to retool the curriculum. School officials blamed the one-year shutdown on poor enrollment.

The boat-building industry is a major player in the state’s economy. 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. There are about 250 boat-building companies in Maine.

“We heard loud and clear from Maine’s marine employers that there is an acute need for skilled boat builders and those working on marine systems,” WCCC President Bill Cassidy said in a prepared release. “We’re excited to bring the program back, more invigorated, and building a stronger alliance with industry. The marine industry is a vital part of Maine’s heritage and our economy, and we’re committed to working in partnership with them to help build a work force for the future.”

After numerous discussions with industry representatives, the college has broadened the program curriculum from its focus on traditional wooden-boat building to encompass wooden-, fiberglass- and composite-boat construction, and related marine systems. The college is also launching an aggressive recruitment drive, and a fund-raising effort for scholarships and program equipment.

College officials are exploring ways to bring marine workshops and courses to the midcoast region, in greater proximity to many Maine boatyards. In addition, the college is working with the Department of Labor and Maine Marine Trades Association to establish an apprenticeship program and deliver it in other regions of the state through live classes and distance education mediums. The apprenticeship program grants college credits for on-the-job training to help entry-level workers attain the skills and credentials for career advancement.

With an aging work force, industry and college leaders hope the revamped program – and a closer partnership between the college and marine employers – will help the industry enlarge its work force for the future.

The program originally was launched in 1969 at what was then Washington County Vocational Technical Institute. For more than 30 years, the program has provided graduates for hundreds of Maine boatyards and other marine employers, including The Hinckley Co., WoodenBoat School and others.

While Maine is home to several boat-building schools, the WCCC program is the only public higher education program in Maine.

In addition to a revamped boat-building program, physical improvements are being made to the Marine Technology Center – located on Deep Cove in Eastport – including door and window replacements, a new heating system, and other energy efficiency measures. The center includes a fully functional pier and dock system, spacious shops, a state-of-the-art computer-aided drafting lab, a 60-ton travel lift, a multipurpose fishing vessel and other equipment. In addition to the boat-building program, the center houses the Adventure Recreation and Tourism program.

Those interested in the program should contact the college at (800) 210-6932 (in Maine) or (207) 454-1049, or by e-mail at admissions@wccc.me.edu.