Marine tech schools around the country have been looking to the American Boat & Yacht Council for online training amid the covid-19 pandemic.
ABYC partnered with Active Interest Media, the parent company of Soundings Trade Only, to provide a platform for the textbook Fundamentals of Marine Service Technology through AIM’s Boater’s University. Since the announcement was made earlier this month, 25 schools have requested access to support their online teaching efforts.
The Northwest Career and Technical Academy in Anacortes, Wash., is mandated to be closed for the remainder of the academic year but will continue to provide instruction for the remaining 10 weeks using the online resource.
“Our program is intensely project-based learning,” said NCTA marine services instructor WesFridell in a statement. “With no way of providing at-school, hands-on learning, ABYC’s Fundamentals textbook takes on a significant role to focus students. Making it available online — and at no cost — has just made my lesson planning that much more robust.”
The donation by AIM is a “wonderful statement about their solidarity with the marine industry,” said Margaret Podlich, executive director of the ABYC Foundation.
“Teachers are searching for ways to continue supporting their students, and AIM Marine Group is proud to partner with ABYC, the leader in technical education in the marine industry, and provide our Boater’s University platform for educators and students to view the Fundamentals of Marine Service Technology textbook for free,” said Marine Group president Gary DeSanctis.
