Bayfront Maritime Centre in Pennsylvania is beginning their second year of the Erie High School Maritime Program, which offers an exciting new program designed to introduce students to Maritime Studies and Maritime Career opportunities. Mornings are spent at BMC studying Navigation, Boat Building and Maintenance, Arts of the Sailor, and Sailing. During the afternoons students are at Erie High School completing their core subjects including Math, English, and Science.

Students learn the basics of navigation – reading a chart, plotting a course along with some background knowledge and history of seafaring, and practical skills of sailors – how to tie useful knots, how to splice, and other essential vessel lore and customs.

Students are taught parts of the boat, rig, and sailing theory and then reinforce their training with on-the-water instruction. The BMC campus allows direct access to the protected waters of Presque Isle Bay where these young people will see and interpret buoys, lights, horn signals, and aids to navigation like ranges and lighthouses.

They are also introduced to the use of basic hand and power tools, shop safety, and vessel construction techniques, basic knowledge and skills of building and maintaining a vessel, including how to prepare it for launch as well as being ready for winter.

The course introduces students to the fact that there are a great number of well-paid jobs in the maritime field all over the world. The employment opportunities exist both on land and on the water. Some careers require less experience, while others are perfect for those who excel in science, technology, engineering, and math. There are careers for those who like working with their hands and those who love working with the public. Maritime training provides a pathway to many diverse careers.

Learn more about the program here.