The BDB’s Talent Advancement Team has come nearly full circle from last year when they convened leaders from the marine industry and education sector at Indiantown Marine Center and invited them to collaborate closely to develop a regional marine training program.
Since then, the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast and Indian River State College have toured and met with other colleges and associations across the region to discuss their workforce programs, comparing notes and opportunities to see how a program could be implemented on the Treasure Coast.
Also, since then, additional land has been donated to IRSC adjacent to and south of Indiantown Marine Center and directly across from Indiantown High School to build a regional marine training center hub.
“Great strides have been made since last year,” says Dan Romance, MIATC Board President. “We are very optimistic that in the near future, people who want to work in the marine industry, and employers who need a skill-ready workforce, will have a place to skill-up and get hired.”
At the January meeting, Maygan Johnson, senior director of Development for IRSC, explained to the room full of marine industry leaders, education, and workforce development professionals how IRSC will roll out its programming and what’s involved. A dynamic marine curriculum has been developed with the support of faculty at the Eastman Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Complex. It focuses on stackable certifications and starts with basics: marine electrical and electronics training, engines, auxiliary systems, and rigging.
Industry-driven and designed, it intentionally focuses on accessibility. Whether it’s a student out of high school, someone already in the workforce, or someone considering a career change and still having to work, each 16-week program will combine hybrid and after-hours classes.
Johnson also outlines the immediate and long-term goals to ensure the first cohort can graduate as early as Q1 2026. Those include fundraising to purchase equipment, approximately $250K per course, and hiring skilled and experienced maritime professionals as faculty so that each student learns from the best in the industry.
The BDB would like to thank Indiantown High School and Principal Lisa Davenport for hosting the meeting and conducting a campus tour for attendees afterward.
Click here to learn more about IRSC and its programs, including the marine industry curriculum. If you want to learn more about the Talent Advancement Team, contact Inez van Ravenzwaaij, Director of Programs and Partnerships.
