Exploring Alaska’s Maritime Future

The T3 Alaska and Alaska Workforce Alliance Maritime Career Program is in full swing! Students across coastal Alaska are exploring maritime technologies, developing a growth mindset, and connecting with community members to discover career opportunities in this vital industry.

This fall, the program has reached students in Hoonah, Kake, Ketchikan, Kodiak, and Homer. Each visit includes an engaging presentation followed by a behind-the-scenes Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) ferry tour—an exciting opportunity made possible by the generous AMHS ferry crew, who share their experiences working on the water.

Evening and weekend Maritime Expo events extend these opportunities to the public, bringing together maritime professionals, training programs, and community organizations to highlight Alaska’s ocean-based economy.

Students participating in the program are also progressing through a maritime industry certification pathway. Through the online course “Introduction to Maritime Trades,” students complete a series of requirements to obtain their Merchant Mariner
Credentials (MMCs)—the first step toward launching a professional career at sea.

Two Maritime Career Credentialing Camps are coming up in early November. The Seward camp will offer hands-on learning aboard the UAF R/V Nanuq, a 40-foot state-of-the-art research vessel equipped for oceanographic, fisheries, and marine biology studies. Students will also tour the AVTEC Maritime Training Center, where they’ll meet with Department Head Kari Anderson and tour Alaska’s premier maritime education facilities, which hosts a world-class ship simulator, advanced navigational lab, and modern classrooms.

By the end of the program, students will have completed their certification applications and gained a clear understanding of the pathways to careers and training opportunities within Alaska’s maritime sector—particularly with the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Together, T3 Alaska, the Alaska Workforce Alliance, and community partners are charting a course for the next generation of maritime professionals who will keep Alaska’s waterways thriving.
For more information visit t3.alaska.edu/maritime.