Business Profiles
The Landing School provides boat building program
ARUNDEL - The state's talented and skilled boat building work force was the draw for representatives from marine-based industries who attended The Landing School's recent job fair in hopes of attracting graduates of Maine's prestigious boat building program.More than 30 businesses attended the event to pitch their companies to The Landing School's students and alumni. The Landing School is considered one of the top boat building and marine trade educational facilities in the country and provides the trained work force for many of Maine's boat building and marine-based businesses.
Jim Nimon, director of the Office of Business Development, part of the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), praised The Landing School for consistently turning out highly-trained and skilled workers, which in turn strengthens Maine's economy. He attended the event on behalf of DECD Commissioner John Richardson.
"Our trained and educated work force is maintaining our successful 400-year-old boat building tradition and positioning Maine as a leader in the industry," Nimon said. "Through the WIRED grant and our business resources, DECD will continue to support Maine boat builders and provide them with a skilled labor pool in order to keep them competitive in the global market."
The DECD and the North Star Alliance are supporting Maine's marine industries through work force development, R&D grants and brand marketing, all under the WIRED initiative. The $15 million federal Workforce Innovation Regional Economic Development (WIRED) grant is also designed to create jobs, strengthen the state's economy and ensure Maine maintains its competitive edge in the boat building, composite and marine sectors.
"Maine's boat building and marine trade industries are successfully competing in the global economy due in large part to its work force," said Barry Acker, president of The Landing School. "We are happy The Landing School can contribute to this success and that our students are recognized for their knowledge and skills."
The school is in the midst of an expansion and is adding a new composites program in the fall to meet industry demand. There are currently 70 students enrolled in the school who are part of the traditional boatbuilding, cruising boat boatbuilding, yacht design or marine systems technician program. Acker said the school attracts both traditional and non-traditional students from all over the United States and the world, many of whom stay in Maine after graduation.
The Landing School also offers on-site employee training through its Center for Continuing Education, which was created in 2005 to meet the marine industry demand for employee technical training. The continuing education program features condensed courses conducted at customer sites across the nation.
