The Michigan Boating Industries Association is furthering its goal of bringing awareness about the many career paths in our industry by commissioning a video from another state marine trade association showing some of the opportunities available when working on the water.
“Like many industries, we’re facing a severe shortage of workers in the marine industry,” said MBIA executive director Nicki Polan in a statement. “MBIA has made strides in awareness and this video will help potential candidates visualize a work environment that can’t be beat!”
The video, created by the Massachusetts Marine Trade Association, shows men who work in the marine industry discussing their jobs after going out fishing.
“This isn’t your normal 9 to 5,” says a voiceover as two men go out to fish as dawn is breaking. “It’s not your average commute to the office. Every day there’s a new puzzle to solve, and no two days look the same.”
Check out the video here:
MMTA offered state marine trade associations the opportunity to edit the graphics and use the video in their own states for a small donation to the MMTA’s educational foundation.
“This is a great example of how the workforce development efforts across the country can be propelled through partnerships,” said Polan.
MBIA has and is making many efforts to encourage people to develop a career in the marine industry.
It hosted a Career Day at the Detroit Boat Show, offering free admission to students interested in a career in the industry, who then learned different aspects of the industry from exhibitors at the show.
Career Day, which is promoted to thousands of high school and college students in the state, will take place next during the Detroit Boat Show in February 2019 at Cobo Center.
MBIA is offering Scholarships through its educational foundation to students interested in a career in the industry and to MBIA members interested in advancing their careers with technical education.
The association is also in the process of creating a technical training course that colleges and high schools in Michigan can use to create tech programs at their facilities and is working at a national level with other marine trade associations to promote jobs in the industry across the country.
“MBIA will continue to strive to get more workers in the marine industry, not just because of a tech shortage, but because the marine industry offers so many opportunities, year-round, at companies and organizations that are passionate about their employees and the recreational boating industry,” said Polan.
