The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has opened the call for nominations and applications process for the “Fork It Over” Marine Industry Talent Show.

This event will be held during the second annual MRAA Opening Night Awards Celebration at the 2018 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, Dec. 9-12 in Orlando, Fla.

The MRAA Awards Celebration seeks to highlight marine-industry workforce efforts, showcasing a series of awards and scholarships to be presented by both the MRAA and the MRAA Educational Foundation.

Marine industry executives will also unveil hidden talents during the talent show; attendees will be able to vote for their favorite acts through their donations, which will benefit the MRAA Educational Foundation.

“The workforce challenges faced by our industry are very serious,” said MRAA Educational Foundation president Jeff Siems in a statement. “But the MRAA Educational Foundation is thrilled to be able to inspire so much fun while raising money to fund scholarships and awards that combat those challenges.”

Those interested in supporting the foundation’s workforce development efforts by applying for the opportunity to share their talent with attendees or nominating a colleague or partner can fill out a short form.

The MRAA Educational Foundation will present scholarships worth a total of more than $30,000, including technical scholarships, the Marine Industry College Scholarship, the Kevin Lodder Scholarship, and the Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship, during the MRAA Opening Night Awards Celebration.

Additionally, the foundation will recognize the Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year.

The MRAA itself will recognize Marine Industry Certified Dealerships, in addition to honoring a MRAA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.