Great Lakes Maritime Academy to take part in annual maritime career day
Muskegon, Michigan – Area individuals are invited to participate in the annual Maritime Career Day Thursday, May 16, 2019 at the West Michigan Dock and Market. Ashton Marine, The Mart Dock, Port City Marine Services, City of Muskegon and Muskegon County created the event to showcase opportunities in the maritime field.
“We hope to introduce area students to what is involved in a maritime career,” says Max McKee, Mart Dock president “We are ecstatic that the Great Lakes Maritime Academy’s State of Michigan will be part of the learning experience. This is the first time the training ship will dock in Muskegon.”
The Great Lakes Maritime Academy was formed to prepare deck and engineering officers for highly skilled positions aboard ship in addition to teaching the essential business skills needed to be successful in the world of commercial shipping. The Academy prepares students to become merchant marine officers and business professionals in the global marketplace.
The training ship State of Michigan is now utilized as a floating classroom and hands-on learning environment. In her former life, the 224-foot was a Navy submarine surveillance vessel. Built in 1986 as part of a series of 18 Stalwart-class T-AGOS vessels designed to tow highly sensitive sonar arrays for the tracking of Soviet submarines, when the Soviet threat diminished in the 1990s, the former Persistent was decommissioned and transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard for use in drug interdiction. While under Coast Guard ownership, the Persistent was overhauled and repowered, but eventually deemed too slow for offshore drug enforcement and made available to other government agencies. Working through the U.S. Maritime Administration, the Maritime Academy negotiated the transfer of the vessel to our harbor in Traverse City. The training ship supplements other training vessels and allows the Maritime cadets to put into practice the theory and skill sets taught in the classroom.
The ship will bring approximately 12 instructors and 55 student cadets that will provide first-hand stories about crew life on the Great Lakes. Muskegon native, Captain Ed Hogan, Vice President of Port City Marine Services and other maritime professionals will be on hand to describe the industry and the many different jobs that are available. Those attending will also enjoy a special tour of the LST 393.
The first session will begin at 10:30am and the second session begins at 12:00pm. The event is free for area individuals, but reservations are required as space is limited. To reserve a place at Maritime Career Day contact us at kmcdermott@sandproductscorp.com or call (231)722-6691.