Designation year: 2026

Location: Cleveland, OH

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program.

Mission & Impact: Embeds federal maritime credentialing pathways into an accredited high school curriculum, linking active harbor operations with national capacity scaling to transition regional talent into disciplined merchant mariners.

Workforce Statistics: Deploys 41% of graduates into confirmed workforce plans, with 90% entering maritime, aerospace, or logistics sectors via an active 300-student high-school-to-fleet pipeline.

Technical Capabilities: Operates dual Port of Cleveland harbor management service vessels (Flotsam and Jetsam) and maintains an active USCG-approved classroom alternate testing site.

Strategic Outlook: Transitioning to a community school model featuring a planned $7M+ waterfront facility engineered for standardized STCW, Able Seafarer, and QMED certifications.

Gateway Office: Great Lakes

Website: https://argonaut.org/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Location: Boston, MA

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Develops technical trade pipelines in the New England coastal economy adjacent to the Port of Boston, providing shoreside career pathways that address regional labor shortages in commercial marine transportation.

Workforce Statistics: Sustains an 86% cohort completion rate moving graduates into immediate employment at an average starting wage of $25.00 per hour under approved state WIOA funding.

Technical Capabilities: Delivers a 200-hour Fundamentals of Marine Technology track integrated with Mercury University M-TEK dashboard and American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) technical standards.

Strategic Outlook: Standardizing curriculum into a credit-bearing certificate program while coordinating a municipal proposal for a dedicated waterfront instructional space to expand hands-on vessel access.

Gateway Office: North Atlantic

Website: https://www.bhcc.edu/workforce/career/marinetechnicianprogram/

Institution Overview:

Designation year: 2026

Location: Bucksport, ME

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Links advanced simulation, industrial partnerships, and emergency throughput capacity to deliver specialized STCW-compliant training designed for both entry-level and incumbent mariners, reinforcing national fleet readiness objectives.

Workforce Statistics: Expands training throughput consistently since FY21, tracking toward a baseline of 1,000 active students for the current fiscal year with a documented crisis capability to scale volumes by 150-250% within 30 days.

Technical Capabilities: Features 33 STCW USCG-approved courses, high-fidelity bridge/engine room simulators, an NFPA-compliant shipboard live-fire burn complex, HUET survival facilities,

Strategic Outlook: Integrating advanced safety simulators and modifying the R/V Susan B. Clark into a specialized offshore crew transfer training vessel through a joint capital program.

Gateway Office: North Atlantic

Website: https://mainemaritime.edu/cpmd/

Institution Overview:

Designation year: 2026

Location: Stuart, FL

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Delivers accelerated, USCG-approved career tracks that link intensive technical instruction with industry partnerships to funnel qualified mariners and technicians directly into commercial maritime sectors.

Workforce Statistics: Maintains a 97.8% student graduation rate and a 90.4% job placement rate while qualifying graduates for direct lateral USCG enlistment at the E-4 pay grade.

Technical Capabilities: Features a 360-hour Professional Mariner sequence, a Yamaha Marine Maintenance certification track, a dedicated underway training fleet, and integrated testing for Master up to 100 GRT.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding curriculum with advanced marine electronics and ABYC standards, backed by contingency plans to expand operations into the Witham Field airport complex to maximize throughput during crises.

Gateway Office: South Atlantic

Website: https://chapman.org/

Institution Overview:

Designation year: 2026

Location: Multi-State Alignment: Iowa, Illinois, Missouri & Wisconsin

Educational track: Multi-Institution Alliance

Mission & Impact: This multi-state ten-school educational alliance integrates advanced supply chain engineering, state-vetted registered heavy trade apprenticeships, and federally designated cybersecurity frameworks to reinforce shoreside capacity across the Upper Mississippi River System and Illinois Waterway.

Workforce Statistics: Sustains a massive aggregated regional training footprint tracking thousands of combined technical students—including high-density enrollment cohorts of 1,517 management students at UWL, 696 welding/cyber students at EICC, 588 welding students at ICC, and 125 supply chain students at WIU.

Technical Capabilities: Deploys an extensive distributed network of specialized technical assets, incorporating multiple USDOL/RAPIDS registered heavy trade apprenticeships, NSA/DHS-certified National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, an active USCG-documented research vessel fleet, and an authorized multi-campus grid of FMCSA commercial driving complexes.

Strategic Outlook: Positions its multi-state online business delivery architectures, registered heavy trade training infrastructure, and IBHE-accredited Emergency Operations Center networks as a highly scalable national mobilization hub capable of expanding trainee throughput by 50% to coordinate cargo movements, repair transport vessels, and secure critical logistics corridors during national emergencies.

Member Schools:  Western Illinois University (Lead institution), Macomb, IL; Black Hawk College, Moline, IL; Carl Sandburg College, Galesburg, IL; Culver-Stockton College, Canton, MO; Eastern Iowa CC, Davenport, IA; Illinois Central College, Est Peoria, IL; John Wood CC, Quincy, IL; Northeast Iowa CC, Calmar, IA; University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, La Crosse, WI; Western Technical College, La Crosse, WI..

Gateway Office: Inland Waterways

Websites: CBPRMLTEC- Western Illinois University - https://www.wiu.edu/academics/   

CBPRMLTEC- Black Hawk College - https://www.bhc.edu/academics/programs/   

CBPRMLTEC- Carl Sandburg College - https://www.sandburg.edu/academics/career-pathways/index.html  

CBPRMLTEC- Culver-Stockton College - https://culver.edu/majors/

CBPRMLTEC- Eastern Iowa Community Colleges - https://eicc.edu/classes-programs/career-technical-education/# 

CBPRMLTEC- Illinois Central College - https://icc.edu/program-search/

CBPRMLTEC- John Wood Community College - https://www.jwcc.edu/about/locations/workforce-development-center/

CBPRMLTEC- Northeast Iowa Community College - https://www.nicc.edu/business-community/training-by-topic/trades-and-industry/

CBPRMLTEC- University of Wisconsin-La Crosse - https://www.uwlax.edu/academics/

CBPRMLTEC- Western Technical College - https://www.westerntc.edu/programs-possibilities

Institution Overviews:

Designation year: 2026

Locations: Everett, WA and San Diego, CA

Educational track: Postsecondary Vocational Institution

Mission & Impact: Delivers a multi-site vocational training framework across West Coast ports that provides USCG-approved credentials to transition entry-level talent and upskill incumbent mariners for commercial transportation and national defense operations.

Workforce Statistics: Conducts over 16,000 annual training sessions globally with a 98.9% completion rate while providing targeted training workforce alliances for major labor groups like Washington State Ferries.

Technical Capabilities: Features 86 USCG-approved courses, 8 U.S. Navy modules, certified Basic/Advanced IGF Code LNG propulsion training, IECEx CoPC explosive safety tracks, and a specialized 5-week Shipyard BootCamp.

Strategic Outlook: Standardizing the Shipyard BootCamp for multi-site deployment and expanding hybrid officer credentials, backed by a mobilization architecture capable of doubling capacity to 32,000 annual sessions within 30 days.

Gateway Office: Pacific Northwest

Website: https://maritimeinstitute.com/washington/

Gateway Office: Mid-Pacific

Website: https://maritimeinstitute.com

Institution Overview:

Designation year: 2026

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Structures advanced educational funnels for the domestic maritime industrial base, delivering premier academic and professional pathways into commercial marine transportation, ship design, and naval defense.

Workforce Statistics: Sustains a 99% employment rate within six months of graduation, with average starting salaries of $82,625 for undergraduates and a 95-97% cohort completion index composed of 99% domestic students.

Technical Capabilities: Operates as the nation's largest standalone naval engineering department, utilizing finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and specialized labs for marine robotics and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

Strategic Outlook: Standardizing its naval engineering curriculum for distributed deployment across peer universities, backed by a scalable framework that allows it to immediately double undergraduate throughput during national crises.

Gateway Office: Great Lakes

Website: https://name.engin.umich.edu/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Location: Fairhaven, MA

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Delivers an integrated instructional framework utilizing a scalable e-learning infrastructure to address critical crew shortages and support domestic ship operations along the Atlantic seaboard during national emergencies.

Workforce Statistics: Sustains a 94% graduation rate, an 89-100% immediate job placement rate, and over an 80% long-term career retention rate across its commercial maritime training pipelines.

Technical Capabilities: Deploys the advanced NEMO online learning node, a 78-credit-hour AAS degree curriculum, full bridge simulator labs, and specialized RADAR/ARPA tactical navigation suites.

Strategic Outlook: Standardizing fast-track curriculum blocks and online training networks while leveraging lateral Coast Guard enlistment paths to function as an elastic regional surge hub.

Gateway Office: North Atlantic

Website: https://nmi.edu/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Location: Port Townsend, WA

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Acts as a regional coordinator running on-the-water learning tracks that remove traditional barriers to entry and connect the local workforce to stable jobs in commercial shipping and shipyard sectors.

Workforce Statistics: Maintains a perfect 100% graduation rate across all technical preparatory tracks while running a 540-hour maritime vocational curriculum that fulfills high school graduation credits.

Technical Capabilities: Features dedicated technical labs with woodshops, engine spaces, advanced ship handling simulators, and structured on-vessel career-shadowing partnerships with Washington State Ferries.

Strategic Outlook: Scaling its model nationally via the Blue Schools Initiative while integrating a new lateral USCG enlistment path and leveraging official Emergency Operations Center status to accelerate crisis training.

Gateway Office: Pacific Northwest

Website: https://nwmaritime.org/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Educational track: Postsecondary Vocational Institution

Mission & Impact: Advances maritime readiness through intense, performance-based emergency response training and fast-track credential blocks that prioritize hands-on skills to keep regional shipping and ports running safely.

Workforce Statistics: Upskilled 3,310 professional mariners across 179 technical classes in recent training cycles while maintaining a 99% course completion rate with near-zero attrition.

Technical Capabilities: Operates a 105-foot training ship, a 150-foot live-fire simulator vessel, a damage control wet trainer hull-breach simulator, and stands as North America's only UK MCA-approved maritime firefighting facility.

Strategic Outlook: Adding advanced lithium-ion battery fire and alternative fuel modules alongside established crisis protocols capable of launching 24/7 surge operations or mobile instruction within 30 to 60 days.

Gateway Office: South Atlantic

Website: https://resolveacademy.com/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Locations: Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Panama City, Florida, Bayou La Batre, Alabama, Charleston, South Carolina, and Houma, Louisiana

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Serves as a multi-state vocational anchor providing scalable training systems, wheelhouse endorsements, and career pipelines that bridge critical crew shortages across commercial shipping, towing, and port operations.

Workforce Statistics: Maintains a high-volume pipeline of credentialed mariners across a seven-campus multi-state geographic grid utilizing hybrid, online, and weekend training models to eliminate loss of payroll hours.

Technical Capabilities: Offers elite certified wheelhouse maneuverability tools including Z-drive/ASD tugboat simulation, radar unlimited, TOAR steering assessments, and on-site corporate delivery of OUPV and Master 100 Ton courses.

Strategic Outlook: Standardizing wheelhouse modules and digital distance learning to deploy mobile instruction cadres during crises, capable of training up to 24 employees simultaneously on active hulls under emergency surge demands.

Gateway Offices: South Atlantic and Central Gulf and Southern Rivers

Website: https://www.seaschool.com/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Locations: Paducah, KY and Houston, TX

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Develops realistic, simulator-driven courses alongside active shipping companies to give mariners structured wheelhouse safety pathways to upgrade credentials and transition directly into maritime leadership roles.

Workforce Statistics: Logged 5,840 participant completions across 715 training sessions from 2023 through 2026, including 3,600 completions specifically tailored to advanced captain and pilot pilothouse operations.

Technical Capabilities: Connects multiple full-mission navigation bridges using Kongsberg K-SIM layouts paired with precise six-degrees-of-freedom hydrodynamic prototyping models that mirror bulk towboat and supertanker handling.

Strategic Outlook: Pairs advanced simulation with original research like the U.S. Inland Mariner Wellness Assessment to reduce human error, backed by a 30-day crisis mobilization framework to keep vital river supply links open.

Gateway Offices: Inland Waterways and Central Gulf & Southern Rivers

Website: https://www.cmetraining.org/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Location: Pensacola, FL

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Powers Gulf Coast shipbuilding by training the engineers and technical professionals required to fast-track students into advanced marine systems and active commercial and national defense construction pipelines.

Workforce Statistics: Coordinates a steady pipeline of 1,085 active students across maritime-supporting majors, leveraging pre-existing security clearances and veteran fast-tracks to accelerate hiring with defense production yards.

Technical Capabilities: Operates a 15,000-square-foot waterfront operations testing facility at the shipping docks, 10,000 square feet of fabrication labs, and the project-based WAVE watercraft curriculum.

Strategic Outlook: Scaling regional engineering enrollment and high school math pipelines while embedding mobile welding pods and expanded dual-enrollment frameworks to offset regional retirements and secure domestic ship production.

Gateway Office: Central Gulf & Southern Rivers

Website: https://uwf.edu/hmcse/departments/mechanical-engineering/research/wave-program/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Location: Seattle, WA

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Integrates a recruitment pipeline and operationally embedded training architecture into the nation's largest public ferry system to secure regional supply chain reliability and reinforce national mariner crewing reserves.

Workforce Statistics: Onboarded and deployed 809 fleet personnel since 2022 while sustaining a 93% overall workforce retention rate, representing a significant increase from its historical 49% deck baseline in 2024.

Technical Capabilities: Holds independent National Maritime Center authority to deliver and test core USCG regulatory certifications natively across its 21-vessel active fleet, utilizing distributed regional fire fields and classrooms.

Strategic Outlook: Updating its engineering curriculum to support incoming vessel and terminal electrification programs for hybrid diesel-electric configurations. In times of national need, WSF can expand critical training pathways and surge basic safety output within 30 days to secure continuity of civil transportation under peak emergency demands. 

Gateway Office: Pacific Northwest

Website: https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/washington-state-ferries

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Location: Glen Cove, NY

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Delivers a rigorous ship architecture and marine engineering curriculum that fast-tracks graduates into commercial design consultancies, premier domestic shipyards, and federal defense commands.

Workforce Statistics: Achieves a perfect 100% career placement index with 90% entering active maritime tracks, backed by mandatory four-cycle winter internships and guaranteed full-tuition scholarships valued at $61,650 annually.

Technical Capabilities: Features the 93-foot Robinson Model Basin towing tank with an eight-paddle wavemaker, full propulsion labs with an operational steam plant, a 3-axis CNC carpentry shop, and Instron fatigue structural testing systems.

Strategic Outlook: Continuously updates CFD and FEA simulation capabilities, backed by a U.S. Navy pipeline framework that allows an immediate pivot to an accelerated V-12 production schedule to rapidly deliver crisis engineering teams.

Gateway Office: North Atlantic

Website: https://www.webb.edu/

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2026

Locations: Agat, Guam and Saipan, MP (Northern Mariana Islands)

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Sustains Western Pacific supply chains by partnering with regional port authorities and cargo networks to deliver safety and navigation training that provides local residents direct pathways into high-wage mariner careers.

Workforce Statistics: Processed 375 local mariners since 2022 with a 95.6% completion index, successfully placing 81% of tracked graduates into active roles aboard inter-island pocket cargo lines, harbor tugs, and port terminals.

Technical Capabilities: Coordinates a dual-site instruction grid equipped with Kongsberg K-SIM navigation suites, advanced towing simulators for steersman certifications, dedicated survival craft launching setups, and shoreside fire fields.

Strategic Outlook: Updating engineering curriculum to support incoming vessel and terminal electrification for hybrid diesel-electric configurations, backed by a 30-day capacity anchor framework to surge basic safety training output.

Gateway Office: Mid-Pacific

Website: https://www.wpma.net/

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Seward, Dillingham, Kodiak, Homer, Valdez & Ketchikan, Alaska

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational and Vocational Institutions

Mission & Impact: Statewide consortium linking AVTEC and five University of Alaska community campuses to deliver USCG-approved mariner training across 34,000 miles of coastline.

Workforce Statistics: Trained 14,096 students over five years with a 98% completion rate and issued 3,959 USCG certificates from FY21 to FY24.

Technical Capabilities: Operates 4 full-mission bridge simulators, marine firefighting grounds, ABYC marine service labs, and NCCER millwright facilities.

Strategic Outlook: Maintains defense-ready capacity to scale mariner licensing, Arctic Polar Code navigation, and emergency response training.

Gateway Office: Pacific Northwest 

Website: https://www.alaskasafetyalliance.org/amec/ 

Institution Overviews: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Glen Burnie, MD

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Drives intermodal freight logistics, defense transport readiness, and port security across Central Maryland supply chains near the Port of Baltimore through specialized cargo handling and defense intelligence certification tracks. 

Workforce Statistics: Graduates over 66 high school dual-enrollment students with college logistics certificates and maintains a 61.6% retention rate, transitioning 40% of trade graduates directly into port and intermodal logistics careers within two quarters.

Technical Capabilities: Operates a 2,500-square-foot Logistics Learning Lab featuring port computer simulation platforms, barcoding systems, and pick/pack stations, complemented by the 12,000-square-foot Clauson Center for skilled trade welding and forklift operations.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding intermodal cargo handling capacity by integrating drone and robotics technology into logistics curricula while incorporating American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) marine technical trade certifications. 

Gateway Office(s): Mid-Atlantic 

Website: https://www.aacc.edu/programs-and-courses/credit-and-degree-seekers/supply-chain-management/

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2024

Location: Piti, Guam

Educational track: Sponsor of Registered Apprenticeship program 

Mission & Impact: Protects Indo-Pacific maritime sovereignty and 7th Fleet readiness as Guam's sole full-service shipyard, delivering critical harbor tug operations, commercial pilotage, and naval defense ship repair across the Western Pacific. 

Workforce Statistics: Registered 235 total apprentices since 2012 and graduated nearly 100 local trade boot camp participants with a 100% full-time job placement rate across Guam and CNMI ports.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 5.2-acre PACDIM waterfront shipyard featuring a floating drydock, 30,000 sq ft of machine/pipefitter shops, commercial harbor tugs, and an ISO 9001:2015-certified local USCG training center. 

Strategic Outlook: Expanding USCG mariner licensing programs, re-establishing depot-level drydocking capabilities, and scaling Naval Welding Institute certifications to support forward-deployed U.S. 7th Fleet and Marine Corps Indo-Pacific operations. 

Gateway Office: Mid-Pacific 

Website: https://www.cabtug.com/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2024

Location:Easton, Maryland

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Reinforces national defense readiness and commercial maritime sovereignty as a premier officer training facility, delivering advanced propulsion, STCW credentialing, and tactical sealift instruction for U.S. merchant mariners. 

Workforce Statistics: Trained 711 USCG-approved course graduates in 2024, expanding from 356 completions in 2021, to supply licensed engineering and deck officers across strategic sealift and commercial fleets.

Technical Capabilities: Operates DNV-certified Maritime Simulator Centre labs, 34 USCG NMC course approvals, 12.47 kV High Voltage power suites, AWS SENSE welding facilities, and EPA Section 608 testing infrastructure.

Strategic Outlook: Integrating Combined IGF Code (LNG fuel) operations, advanced industrial automation (PLCs/MEECE), and alternative fuel propulsion tracks to prepare mariners for next-generation green-energy fleet readiness.

Gateway Office: Mid-Atlantic

Website: https://www.mebaschool.org/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Powers Atlantic seaboard oceanographic research and maritime security operations from the Cape Fear River through specialized hydrographic surveying, composite boatbuilding, and underway vessel instruction. 

Workforce Statistics: Achieves a 94% job placement rate for Marine Technology graduates, enrolling over 280 students across maritime tracks and generating 40+ annual graduates for coastal research and boat manufacturing. 

Technical Capabilities: Operates an eight-vessel fleet including the 135-ft R/V CAPE HATTERAS and 53-ft R/V MARTECH, equipped with multibeam echo sounders, side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profilers, and composite lamination labs.

Strategic Outlook: Modernizing hydrographic survey suites and marine electronics labs to supply technical workforce demand for the expanding Atlantic Offshore Wind sector and coastal infrastructure projects.

Gateway Office: Mid-Atlantic  

Website: https://cfcc.edu/marine-technology/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Morehead City, North Carolina

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Anchors eastern North Carolina maritime security, port operations, and boat manufacturing through USCG-approved mariner credentialing, specialized marine propulsion tracks, and state ferry system workforce training.  

Workforce Statistics: Issued 877 USCG course completion certificates across 88 courses (2021–2024) while enrolling over 1,000 annual maritime students with completion rates exceeding 90%.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 23,000 sq ft NC MARTEC facility with ABYC and Yamaha labs, USCG-approved mariner courses, AWS welding bays, and Bogue Sound saltwater aquaculture infrastructure.

Strategic Outlook: Constructing a Workforce Center for Construction Trades & Transportation Technologies and a live-fire STCW firefighting site to support NC Ferry Division crews and regional shipyard expansion. 

Gateway Office: Mid-Atlantic 

Website: https://carteret.edu/programs/maritime-training/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024 

Location: Astoria, Oregon

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Secures Pacific Northwest maritime logistics and Columbia River shipping lanes through USCG-approved Training Ship instruction, specialized navigation simulation, and advanced STCW merchant mariner credentialing.

Workforce Statistics: Serves 565 annual unduplicated maritime students and generated over 1,260 USCG/STCW certificates (2022–2025), maintaining an active Training Ship enrollment near 87.5% capacity.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 50-foot training vessel M/V FORERUNNER, a dedicated Fire Response and Research Center, AWS/WABO welding labs, and Radar/ARPA, ECDIS, and GMDSS simulation suites.

Strategic Outlook: Developing QMED/Junior Engineer curriculum, establishing USCG-approved online license training modules, and modernizing navigation simulators to expand Pacific Northwest mariner pipeline capacity.

Gateway Office: Pacific Northwest

Website: https://www.clatsopcc.edu/maritime/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Key West, Florida

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Secures Straits of Florida maritime channels and naval defense readiness through specialized marine engineering, commercial diving technologies, custom research vessels, and accredited CTE workforce credentials.

Workforce Statistics: Expanded marine engineering enrollment by 24% while sustaining an 80% technical course passing rate and placing 50% to 60% of graduates directly into commercial maritime careers.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 42-foot catamaran M/V FKCC-2, a solar-powered Renewable Energy Test Vessel, an open-water Underwater Training Area, and ABYC, Yamaha, and AWS technical testing labs.

Strategic Outlook: Leveraging nearly $10M in federal STEM grants and state approval for a 240-bed dormitory to expand training capacity in marine mechanics, commercial diving, and offshore renewable energy.

Gateway Offices: South Atlantic

Website: https://www.cfk.edu/coe/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Drives Port of Baltimore logistics operations and Mid-Atlantic shipping security through intermodal supply chain management, heavy diesel technical training, and USCG-approved captain licensing pipelines.

Workforce Statistics: Enrolls over 1,000 annual students in logistics workforce programs with 257 completions in FY22, while graduating 83 mariners through its USCG Master 100 Ton program.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the Transportation Training Center at Tradepoint Atlantic, featuring Class A CDL rigs, heavy diesel labs, automated warehouse simulators, and USCG Master 100 Ton testing infrastructure.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding CDL and heavy diesel apprenticeships with MDOT while scaling offshore wind manufacturing workforce tracks through the Maryland Works for Wind consortium at Tradepoint Atlantic.

Gateway Offices: Mid-Atlantic

Website: https://www.ccbcmd.edu/Programs-and-Courses/Continuing-Education/Workforce/Transportation/index.html 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Warwick, Rhode Island

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Reinforces national security and defense shipbuilding infrastructure through specialized submarine manufacturing trades, Registered Apprenticeships with General Dynamics Electric Boat, and hands-on underway mariner training.

Workforce Statistics: Maintains a 96% completion and placement rate across Electric Boat manufacturing tracks, training over 1,460 students in pipefitting and 773 in electrical with 100% graduate hiring into submarine construction.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the Westerly Education Center equipped with defense pipefitting and electrical labs, partners with the tall ship SSV OLIVER HAZARD PERRY for STCW Basic Training, and maintains RIMTA composite testing setups.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding registered apprenticeship pathways into Associate in Science degrees in Advanced Manufacturing while scaling high school dual-credit vocational pipelines to supply critical submarine defense shipyards.

Gateway Offices: North Atlantic 

Website: https://www.ccri.edu/workforce/programs/manufacturingtrades/electric-boat-trades.html 

Institution Overview:

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Media, Pennsylvania

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Reinforces Delaware River maritime sovereignty and commercial vessel construction through specialized industrial shipbuilding trades, foundry operations, heavy rigging, and regional port logistics workforce development.

Workforce Statistics: Enrolled over 600 annual maritime trade students with a 97%–98% retention and completion rate, providing 100% incumbent worker upskilling across Greater Philadelphia shipbuilding sectors.

Technical Capabilities: Operates through the Philadelphia Regional Maritime Training Center featuring AWS welding bays, casting and molding labs, industrial crane simulators, and heavy rigging instruction facilities.

Strategic Outlook: Executing $21.8M in federal and regional shipbuilding grants alongside Hanwha Philly Shipyard and maritime academies to expand industrial trade apprenticeships and Delaware River port capacity.

Gateway Offices: Mid-Atlantic

Website: https://www.dccc.edu/academics/academic-divisions/workforce-economic-development 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Secures Mississippi River commerce and Gulf Coast offshore logistics through high-volume USCG-approved mariner licensing, full-mission bridge simulation, and specialized inland towing and deckhand credentialing pipelines.

Workforce Statistics: Trains over 6,100 mariners annually across USCG-approved courses with a 99.5%+ completion rate, serving 200+ employers with 88% company-sponsored incumbent workforce upskilling.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 6.8-acre Delgado Maritime Center featuring full-mission z-drive/CPP bridge simulators, XVR virtual reality labs, live-fire burn buildings, and a three-story towboat fire prop.

Strategic Outlook: Constructing a $1.7M EDA-funded deckhand facility with dedicated training barges while expanding virtual reality command modules and statewide community college credit articulation.

Gateway Office: Central Gulf & Southern Rivers

Website: https://www.dcc.edu/workforce-development/maritime/default.aspx 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Seattle, Washington

Educational track: Maritime Training Center, previously designated

Mission & Impact: Protects Pacific Northwest underwater infrastructure and commercial maritime security through advanced deep-water commercial diving, marine salvage, surface-supplied diving, and internationally recognized occupational credentials.

Workforce Statistics: Enrolls 250–300 students annually with an 87% graduation rate and an 80% marine industry employment placement rate across commercial diving and salvage sectors.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 63-foot USCG-inspected training vessel M/V Response, hyperbaric systems, deep-water dive platforms, ADCI/DCBC 165-foot deep dive setups, and ASNT NDT testing labs.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding non-destructive testing (NDT), hydraulic tool, and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) diving modules to support coastal defense, civil infrastructure repair, and marine construction.

Gateway Office(s): Pacific Northwest

Website: https://www.diversinstitute.edu/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Tacoma, Washington

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Secures Pacific Northwest commercial waterways and maritime law enforcement readiness through USCG-approved captain licensing, specialized tactical operator courses, and entry-level merchant mariner credentialing.

Workforce Statistics: Issued 1,357 credential completion certificates (2022–2024) and over 3,500 total program certificates since 2007, maintaining a steady completion rate above 98%.

Technical Capabilities: Operates a waterfront facility with a 1,200 sq ft USCG-approved classroom, direct access to a 370-ft Patrol Vessel Dock, 8-lane deep-water boat ramps, and FCC testing setups.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding the Tacoma Tideflats youth credentialing program for students aged 16+ while scaling MILPRO tactical training for over 40 law enforcement and tribal agencies.

Gateway Office: Pacific Northwest

Website: https://www.flagshipmaritimellc.com/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Tamuning, Guam

Educational track: Sponsor of Registered Apprenticeship program 

Mission & Impact: Protects Indo-Pacific maritime security and Seventh Fleet combat readiness as Guam's premier U.S. ship repair facility, delivering depot-level overhaul, naval maintenance, and USDOL-approved trade apprenticeships.

Workforce Statistics: Maintains 14 registered apprenticeship trade tracks and sponsors GCC Ship Repair Bootcamps with direct hiring commitments to upskill local Pacific Island craftsmen into certified Journeymen.

Technical Capabilities: Operates Guam Technical Institute (GTI), 14 USDOL/Guam DOL registered trade tracks, GCA Trades Academy NCCER labs, and Navy submarine tender repair bays.

Strategic Outlook: Re-establishing depot-level dry dock capabilities and expanding hybrid pre-apprenticeship bootcamps with GCC to support the U.S. Marine Corps buildup and forward-deployed Pacific fleets.

Gateway Office: Mid-Pacific

Website: No institutional website link  

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2024

Location: Norfolk, Virginia

Educational track: a Postsecondary Educational Institution and a Postsecondary Vocational Institution

Mission & Impact: Drives Atlantic naval readiness and port operations through a strategic alliance uniting high-volume commercial mariner credentialing, R1 engineering research, digital shipbuilding, and supply chain logistics.

Workforce Statistics: Delivers ~4,000 annual USCG course completion certificates alongside 700+ university degrees, maintaining a 100% completion rate and an 86% maritime placement rate for WIOA-funded mariner boot camps.

Technical Capabilities: Integrates full-mission bridge and engine simulators, 95 USCG-approved courses, ABET-accredited engineering labs, VMASC digital shipbuilding suites, and high-voltage power testing infrastructure.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding digital shipbuilding research, naval architecture degree tracks, and WIOA youth trade apprenticeships to supply critical workforce capacity for Norfolk naval and commercial fleet operations.

Gateway Offices: Mid-Atlantic

Websites: https://www.odu.edu/maritime   and   https://maritimeinstitute.com/

Institution Overviews: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Raymond and Vicksburg, Mississippi

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Primary inland waterway maritime node operating along the 600-mile stretch between New Orleans and Paducah, delivering USCG-aligned deckhand, tankerman, and heavy industrial trade credentials for Mississippi River fleets and USACE operations.

Workforce Statistics: Trained 1,220 unduplicated mariners between 2014 and August 2023, achieving a 95.24% program completion rate (140/147 completed) and an approximate 100% post-training employment placement rate across Maritime Consortium partners (Golding Barge Line hiring 450+ deckhands). Enrollment includes 140 students in Welding and 128 in Electrical Technology.

Technical Capabilities: Features USCG-approved courses for Tankerman / Tank Barge Dangerous Liquids and Firefighting. Integrates a 15,000 sq. ft. Inland Waterway Maritime Academy expansion facility, barge mockup bays, line-handling courts, USACE River Operation robotics labs, UAS aerial surveying equipment, and heavy industrial CTE suites for welding, electrical, and precision machining.

Strategic Outlook: Supported by a $1,000,000 state legislative appropriation and AccelerateMS funding, HCC is expanding the Inland Waterway Maritime Academy to deliver advanced training for higher-paying tankerman and river pilot roles. The college integrates autonomous aerial surveying, industrial robotics, and structural shipfitting to secure vital commercial fleet operations along the Mississippi River corridor.

Gateway Office: Central Gulf & Southern Rivers

Website: https://www.hindscc.edu/workforce/maritime   and   https://www.hindscc.edu/pathways/acmt 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Long Beach, California

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Powers San Pedro Bay port logistics and West Coast maritime supply chain security through industry-credentialed logistics training, CSCMP certifications, and specialized port operations workforce development.

Workforce Statistics:Trained 330+ participants with a 91% completion rate through the Port of Long Beach Maritime Center of Excellence, filling critical middle-skills supply chain openings across the San Pedro Bay port complex.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the Port of Long Beach Maritime Center of Excellence, CSCMP certification labs, NSA-designated Cyber Defense facilities, and tuition-free noncredit logistics modules.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding credit-for-prior-learning pathways, CSULB Global Logistics Specialist articulations, and Port of Long Beach zero-emission workforce gap studies to support green port logistics.

Gateway Office: Mid-Pacific

Website: https://www.lbcc.edu/programs-and-trainings 

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2024

Location: Duluth, St. Paul, & Winona, Minnesota

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Mission & Impact: Drives Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River commerce through a tri-college workforce alliance delivering industrial trade qualifications, port logistics support, and river barge maintenance training.

Workforce Statistics: Achieves up to 95.9% graduate employment in related fields with 100% job placement across civil engineering, welding, and CDL transport tracks.

Technical Capabilities: Combines technical labs across three institutions, including the LSC Sheet Metal Workers Training Center, CNC machining bays, diesel mechanics facilities, and commercial welding shops.

Strategic Outlook: High-capacity inland waterway asset capable of scaling welder, mechanic, and barge repair technician pipelines for commercial fleet readiness.

Gateway Office: Great Lakes

Website: https://www.lsc.edu/degrees/    https://www.saintpaul.edu/programs      https://www.southeastmn.edu/academics/Default.aspx 

Institution Overviews: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Oceanside & Carlsbad, California

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Serves as a primary Southern California maritime technology and manufacturing workforce engine within the San Diego regional maritime cluster. Delivers technical education through its Technology Career Institute (TCI), offering hands-on trade training in boatbuilding, marine electronics, composite fabrication, and uncrewed maritime systems to supply regional defense shipyards, commercial vessel operators, and ocean technology firms.

Workforce Statistics: Enrolls over 1,000 students annually across adult workforce and technical certificate tracks at the Technology Career Institute (TCI). Maintains a 90%+ job placement rate for graduates of intensive bootcamps (including Maritime Technology, Machinist, and Welding tracks), with strong direct hiring pipelines into San Diego regional defense contractors, marine repair yards, and commercial maritime employers.

Technical Capabilities: Features the specialized Technology Career Institute (TCI) facility equipped with industrial CAD/CAM software suites, composite material fabrication bays, CNC routing/milling equipment, marine electrical testing rigs, and uncrewed autonomous vehicle (ROV/AUV) assembly labs. Delivers NMEA-aligned marine electronics certification, ABYC-compliant marine systems training, and AWS-certified structural welding tracks.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding ocean technology, blue economy, and uncrewed maritime systems training in alignment with San Diego regional defense and commercial port initiatives. Supported by regional workforce grants and industry partnerships, MiraCosta is scaling its stackable credential model and apprenticeship bridges to supply skilled technicians for advanced vessel manufacturing, autonomous marine robotics, and defense shipyard maintenance.

Gateway Office: Mid-Pacific

Website: https://www.miracosta.edu/   and    https://commed.miracosta.edu/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Pascagoula, Mississippi

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Powers Gulf Coast naval defense and surface combatant manufacturing through USDOL-approved shipyard apprenticeships, specialized unmanned maritime systems training, VR welding simulation, and defense industrial base partnerships.

Workforce Statistics: Sponsors 600+ active apprentices at Ingalls Shipbuilding and 50+ at Halter Marine, achieving 79%–95% technical skill placement across credit programs.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the $25M Haley Reeves Barbour Maritime Training Academy in Pascagoula with VR/AR virtual welders, cobots, heavy equipment simulators, and unmanned maritime systems labs.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding A.A.S. degree crosswalks for registered apprentices and USM BAS transfer pathways to advance autonomous vessel development for the National Defense Strategy.

Gateway Office(s): Central Gulf & Southern Rivers

Website: https://mgccc.edu/programs/schools/manufacturing-maritime-transportation/maritime-technology/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Linthicum Heights, MD & Seattle, Washington

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Serves as a premier non-profit continuing education and training engine operating dual coast-to-coast campuses in Linthicum Heights, MD and Seattle, WA. Delivers advanced full-mission simulation, mariner license upgrades, and USDOL-registered Maritime Apprenticeship Programs (MAP) to supply U.S.-flag commercial shipping, towing fleets, and national defense sealift operations.

Workforce Statistics: Enrolled 2,171 students in 2022, 2,479 in 2023, and 2,475 through October 2024 across USCG-approved courses. Operates a USDOL-registered Maritime Apprenticeship Program (MAP) offering zero-to-hero pathways to USCG deck officer licenses (OICNW/OICEW) in as little as 24 months. Hosts youth STEM outreach, including Engineers Week for 80+ students and regional NJROTC tours.

Technical Capabilities: Features DNV-GL certified simulation centers including two 360° Transas full-mission ship handling simulators, a 240° DNV Class A simulator, 300° tugboat simulators, LNG cryogenic control, and VTS/ARPA/ECDIS labs. Facilities include a 40-acre MD campus with 232 guest rooms, and a WA campus featuring the 125-foot M/V Fire Dragon live fire and damage control mockup.

Strategic Outlook: Addressing critical national officer shortages, MITAGS is expanding simulation-based curriculum, blended online learning, and hybrid distance modules aligned with the White House Maritime Action Plan. Utilizes its proprietary Navigational Skills Assessment Program (NSAP®) to evaluate watchkeeping risk and scales apprenticeship pipelines with major partners like Washington State Ferries, Crowley, Foss, and NOAA.

Gateway Offices: Mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest  

Website: https://www.mitags.org/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Powers Great Lakes naval defense and commercial shipbuilding through specialized marine manufacturing, AWS welding, pipefitting, and USDOL-aligned apprenticeships with Fincantieri shipyards.

Workforce Statistics: Trained 14,000+ workers at Fincantieri Marinette Marine since 2012, serving 906 incumbent workers in FY23 while maintaining an 80% to 100% in-field graduate employment rate.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 25,000 sq ft North Coast Marine Manufacturing Training Center, CAD/ShipConstructor labs, Sturgeon Bay FBS training facility, and patented Mobile Modular Training Systems.

Strategic Outlook: Training an estimated 1,000 new shipbuilders as Fincantieri Marinette Marine constructs U.S. Navy Constellation-class (FFG-62) frigates, alongside expanding online introductory shipbuilding modules.

Gateway Office(s): Great Lakes

Website: https://www.nwtc.edu/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2024

Location: Port Hadlock, Washington

Educational track: Postsecondary Vocational Institution

Mission & Impact: Preserves Pacific Northwest maritime heritage and commercial ship repair through traditional wooden boatbuilding, composite construction, ABYC-aligned marine systems engineering, and veteran-focused vocational trades.

Workforce Statistics: Achieves an 82% graduation rate in traditional boatbuilding and 95% in Marine Systems, placing graduates across regional boatyards where maritime trades represent 20% of local jobs.

Technical Capabilities: Operates a 7-acre waterfront campus on Port Townsend Bay with carvel/lapstrake workshops, wood composite labs, solar arrays, and ABYC-aligned diesel, electrical, and hydraulic testing suites.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding alternative-energy propulsion training and high school CTE marine systems curricula to address skilled technician shortages across the Pacific Northwest maritime economy.

Gateway Office(s): Pacific Northwest

Website: https://www.nwswb.edu/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Newport Beach, California

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Protects Southern California Pacific coastal trade and commercial fleet readiness through USCG-approved captain licensing, bridge simulation, hands-on underway vessel training, and structured mariner degree pathways.

Workforce Statistics: Over 51% of workforce-seeking alumni hold or pursue Merchant Mariner Credentials, with 77.5% employed on vessels or in shore-based maritime roles post-enrollment.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the Professional Mariner Training Center, Transas Full Mission Bridge Simulator, Radar/ECDIS labs, and an instructional fleet anchored by the 96-ft flagship M/V Anacapa.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding mariner continuing education modules for RFPNW and Able Seaman ratings while scaling dual-enrollment summer tracks with local high schools to diversify Pacific mariner pipelines.

Gateway Office: Mid-Pacific

Website: https://waterfront.orangecoastcollege.edu/

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Dual-State Alliance: Seattle, Mt. Vernon, Port Angeles, & Vancouver, Washington & Portland, Oregon

Educational track: Multi-Institution Alliance

Mission & Impact: Drives Pacific Northwest ocean commerce and naval ship repair through a dual-state alliance delivering USCG mariner licensing, commercial fishing apprenticeships, ABYC marine maintenance, and shipyard welding.

Workforce Statistics: Powers a $36B regional maritime economy supporting 129,000 direct jobs across Washington and Oregon through multi-college degree, certificate, and apprenticeship pathways.

Technical Capabilities: Combines Seattle Maritime Academy's 26,000 sq ft simulation facility, PCC's Swan Island welding center, South Seattle's Vigor shipyard campus, and ABYC/NMEA-certified labs.

Strategic Outlook: Guiding statewide workforce planning through Career Connect Washington while scaling decarbonization training for hydrogen fuel cell vessels and USCG/US Navy contracts.

Gateway Office: Pacific Northwest

Member Schools: Skagit Valley College (Lead) - Mt. Vernon, WA; North Seattle College, Seattle Central College, South Seattle College - Seattle, WA; Clark College - Vancouver, WA; Peninsula College, Port Angeles, WA; Portland Community College - Portland, OR; and Crawford Nautical Training, Seattle, WA.

Websites:

Skagit Valley College (Lead) - Mt. Vernon, WA:   https://www.skagit.edu/  

North Seattle College:    https://northseattle.edu/

Seattle Central College:    https://seattlecentral.edu/ 

South Seattle College:    https://southseattle.edu/ 

Clark College - Vancouver, WA:    http://www.clark.edu/ 

Peninsula College, Port Angeles, WA:    https://pencol.edu 

Portland Community College - Portland, OR: https://www.pcc.edu/locations/maritime-welding/ 

Crawford Nautical Training, Seattle, WA    https://crawfordnautical.org/ 

Institution Overviews: 

Designation year: 2021, 2024

Location: La Porte, Texas

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Secures Gulf Coast energy export channels and commercial shipping lanes through high-volume USCG mariner credentialing, USDOL tankerman apprenticeships, and advanced full-mission vessel simulation research.

Workforce Statistics: Trains over 1,400 seafarers annually and issued 3,212 USCG certificates in 2022, maintaining a 100% summer internship placement rate and 100% pre-graduation employment rate for degree cohorts.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 45,000 sq ft waterfront Maritime Technology and Training Center with a $1.3M simulation suite, ship mooring docks, barge training pad, and shipboard valve training systems.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding training programs to support green shipping initiatives, LNG bunkering, automated port logistics, and offshore wind support vessels across the Gulf of Mexico. Continues to scale its mariner pipeline through dual-credit high school pathways, customized corporate training, and advanced simulation integration to meet critical regional towing and petrochemical transport demands.

Gateway Office: West Gulf

Website: https://www.sanjac.edu/about/locations/maritime/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation year: 2024

Location: Piney Point, Maryland

Educational track: Sponsor of Registered Apprenticeship program 

Mission & Impact: Secures national sealift readiness and U.S. commercial fleet operations through tuition-free joint labor-management apprenticeships, guaranteed job placement, full-mission vessel simulation, and comprehensive USCG credentialing.

Workforce Statistics: Trained over 17,000 entry-level apprentices and 135,000 upgrading mariners since 1967, providing tuition-free education with 100% guaranteed job placement upon completion.

Technical Capabilities: Operates a 60-acre waterfront campus featuring 360° bridge simulators, full-mission engine room simulators, training vessels, and the Joseph Sacco Firefighting & Safety School.

Strategic Outlook: Upgrading container refrigeration, dual-fuel LNG, and automated engine systems training while expanding DoD SkillBridge pathways for transitioning veterans into commercial fleet careers.

Gateway Office: Mid-Atlantic

Website: https://www.seafarers.org/training-and-careers/jobs/the-seafarers-harry-lundeberg-school-of-seamanship/  

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Dania Beach, Florida

Educational track: Structured experiential learning training program

Mission & Impact: Secures national sealift readiness and commercial fleet operations through full-mission 360° simulation, the nation's only private USCG-approved Third Assistant Engineer hawsepipe apprenticeship, and high-voltage engineering tracks.

Workforce Statistics: Issued 7,602 USCG certificates (2021–2024) and maintains a 100% immediate post-program employment rate for TECH hawsepipe engineering apprentices.

Technical Capabilities: Operates ISO 9001:2015 certified 360° full-mission bridge simulators, Kongsberg engine control suites, 15 kV high-voltage labs, and hydrodynamic modeling software.

Strategic Outlook: Aligning with national mariner recruitment, retention, and sealift readiness goals, the STAR Center is expanding its advanced 360-degree hydrodynamic simulation modeling, LNG fuel-handling suites, and electro-technical officer (ETO) credentialing pathways. The facility continues to scale its USCG-approved TECH Program license-upgrade tracks and Military-to-Mariner (M2M) bridges while advancing custom research in autonomous surface vessel navigation, subsea sensor integration, and risk-mitigation modeling to support U.S.-flag commercial shipping and national defense fleets.

Gateway Office(s): South Atlantic

Website: https://www.star-center.com/ 

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, & Virginia Beach, VA

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Mission & Impact: Serves as the primary technical education engine supporting the nation's largest naval base and fifth-largest port complex across four campus nodes. TCC delivers USCG-approved mariner licensing, ABYC/NIMS/AWS-accredited trade programs, and dedicated shipyard apprenticeship pipelines to power the Hampton Roads defense industrial base and regional port logistics.

Workforce Statistics: Enrolls ~950 registered apprentices and maritime students across regional partners, including ~200 incoming Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) apprentices annually, and awarded 1,448 maritime degrees/certificates (2018–2023). Graduated 53 USCG OUPV mariners (2021–2024), upskilled 1,800+ workers through the VSRA Marine Trade Training partnership with a 96%+ hire rate, and educates 5,000+ military-affiliated students annually as the primary USNCC degree partner.

Technical Capabilities: Features the 32,000 sq. ft. Skilled Trades Academy (25 welding booths, 10 coatings modules, 5 pipefitting modules), an AWS Accredited Test Facility, a 15,000 sq. ft. Marine Electrical complex, and an 8,000 sq. ft. NIMS machining lab. Includes ABYC-accredited marine diesel/gasoline diagnostic bays, a Class A CDL range, USCG afloat licensing suites, and NNS/USNCC engineering labs.

Strategic Outlook: Supported by state VVISP shipyard funding and federal defense partnerships, TCC is expanding its Skilled Trades Academy to 32,000 sq. ft. and embedding stackable credentials into regional apprenticeships. By scaling global USNCC online maritime logistics degrees and trade pipelines, TCC secures an adaptable workforce for naval readiness, commercial ship repair, and Mid-Atlantic port operations.

Gateway Office: Mid-Atlantic

Websites:

Tidewater Chesapeake: https://www.tcc.edu/come-to-tcc/chesapeake-campus/ 

Tidewater Norfolk: https://www.tcc.edu/come-to-tcc/norfolk-campus/ 

Tidewater Portsmouth: https://www.tcc.edu/come-to-tcc/portsmouth-campus/skilled-trades-academy/ 

Tidewater Virginia Beach: https://www.tcc.edu/come-to-tcc/virginia-beach-campus/ 

Institution Overviews: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: North Charleston, South Carolina

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Powers Port of Charleston maritime logistics and ship repair through specialized Marine Engineering Technology, Marine Stewardship, AWS welding credentials, and nationally recognized youth apprenticeships.

Workforce Statistics: Achieves 100% graduate placement in Industrial Mechanics, GMAWF Welding, and Leadership Development, while training 195+ Class A CDL drivers with a 96% placement rate.

Technical Capabilities: Operates specialized industrial mechanics labs, AWS welding suites, machine tool technology bays, and NC3 Snap-On / NIMS credential testing facilities.

Strategic Outlook: Expanding youth apprenticeships and Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship engine department crosswalks to support South Carolina State Ports Authority and deepwater port infrastructure growth.

Gateway Office: South Atlantic

Website: https://www.tridenttech.edu/

Institution Overview: 

Designation years: 2021, 2024

Location: Paducah, KY

Educational track: Postsecondary Educational Institution

Mission & Impact: Powers Mississippi River System inland towing operations through specialized A.A.S. Marine Technology degrees, USCG-approved mariner licensing, hands-on diesel mechanics, and community re-entry workforce partnerships.

Workforce Statistics: Achieved an 80% fall-to-spring student retention rate, a verified 100% post-credential employment rate for working mariners, and a 60% recidivism reduction through jail re-entry programs.

Technical Capabilities: Operates the 7,680 sq ft Marine Way Training Center featuring navigation simulators, six shipboard galley stations, and a refurbished operational 16-cylinder EMD marine diesel engine.

Strategic Outlook: Launching USCG Steersman courses and expanding marine diesel and electrical maintenance training to secure operational continuity across America's inland waterway towing network.

Gateway Office: Inland Waterways

Website: https://westkentucky.kctcs.edu/workforce-solutions/marine-training.aspx 

Institution Overview: