Northeast Wisconsin Technical College has been designated a 2021 Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE), by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD).
The CoE was designed to assist the maritime industry in gaining and sustaining well-trained workforce while enhancing diversity and inclusion within the field. Each year MARAD will consider institutions as well as other training facilities that have demonstrated the highest value in supporting its mission.
NWTC was awarded among 27 institutions across the country. This designation will allow NWTC to enter into a cooperative agreement with MARAD that will enable the College to continue and expand its efforts in providing technical training needs to its local maritime workforce.
“I’m thrilled to see that Northeast Wisconsin Technical College has been named a Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher. “Schools like NWTC have helped make our community a hub for high-quality, good-paying jobs in the maritime industry, and this designation is a testament to all they do to ensure our workforce has the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.”
Known as the “North Coast region,” Northeast Wisconsin employs more than 6,000 people in the marine manufacturing industry and is home to seven of the Great Lakes’ eight shipbuilders.
“Maritime plays a vital role in our local economy and we are honored to be recognized by MARAD for the work our institution continues to do to support our current as well as future workforce in this growing industry,” said Dr. Jeff Rafn, NWTC president.
To serve the region’s growing shipbuilding industry, NWTC opened the North Coast Marine Manufacturing Training Center® (NCMMTC) in 2012. Since the opening, the 25,000-square-foot facility has provided training for more than 11,000 new hires and incumbent workers in a variety of related programs and has helped deliver a future pipeline of skilled maritime industry workers.
The NCMMTC has also played in integral role in training contracting at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) in Marinette, Wisconsin’s largest employer in shipbuilding. The partnership between NWTC and FMM dates back to World War II, and NWTC is committed to training the next generation of shipbuilders as the FMM begins its new contract with the US Department of Defense to build a first-in-class guided missile frigate for the Navy.
NWTC is a member of the North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance, where they work with manufactures and leaders in workforce development within the region to grow the industry. The College is also member of the National Maritime Workforce Alliance (NMWA), a group of cohorts from across the country focused on strengthening the maritime workforce in the United States.
“We are proud of the impact our institution and partners have made over the years,” said Meridith Jaeger, NWTC dean of corporate training & economic development. “This designation will give us the opportunity to make significant strides in fulfilling our mission to provide the necessary training and education for a skilled workforce. We are excited for the work that is ahead of us.”
Visit NWTC’s Manufacturing Programs for further information about starting your career in this field. Registration for fall 2021 classes are open now.
