ABYC Launches Marine Technology Course

In a bid to entice more people to consider a career in the recreational boating industry, the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) has established a new Marine Technicians curriculum with a grant from the Kathy and Jerry Wood Foundation.

The ABYC Foundation intends to offer its curriculum to schools at minimal cost as a way of recruiting new marine technicians. The program will prepare students for formal post-secondary training on their way to becoming accredited marine technicians. Boat freshwater and coastal variants of the program will be offered, reflecting regional preferences, in both English and Spanish.

Valued in excess of $120 billion and representing more than 35,000 companies across the US, the recreational boating industry is facing a severe skills shortage as growing numbers of marine service technicians approach retirement age.