Boat Builders Conference to Showcase Worker Training Programs
 

National and local experts share how to cut costs and address skills gap ANACORTES – Washington boat builders can learn how to leverage community resources to deliver affordable employee training during a free conference next month featuring one of the nation’s top industry experts.

This conference is a collaborative effort involving the Northwest Workforce Development Council (NWDC), Skagit Valley College, the Economic Development Association of Skagit County, and Northern Marine in Anacortes.  Any NWDC member is welcome to attend by completing a registration form.

Skip Burton, president of the American Boat & Yacht Council, will be among the featured speakers during the May 21 conference in Anacortes. He will discuss how the nation’s best marine-trade training and educational programs were developed and will showcase a model training partnership in Washington.

The conference, which is targeted toward Washington boat manufacturers, personnel directors, human resources managers and other representatives, will include a variety of workshops from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – all at no cost. Registrations must be received by May 14.

Representatives from area community colleges will demonstrate training in new manufacturing processes and materials. Industry experts will also show how private and public entities can work together to provide training to address the state’s growing workforce needs.

The conference is sponsored by an innovative public-private partnership that includes agencies and colleges within the WorkSource system and a local employer, Northern Marine. The partners last year launched a successful program to train workers in the latest methods of building yachts. They combined their resources, which included a $213,000 state grant and in-kind donations from Northern Marine.

Since then, Northern Marine’s human resources manager, Wes Fridell, said his company has received tremendous interest about the program. The partners are organizing the May conference to provide other boat manufacturers with the opportunity to learn from their success.

“We want to provide boat manufacturers an engaging forum to hear about successes and share ideas for creating training programs that address the a critical skills gap in the marine industry and increase bottom-line profitability,” said Dolores Blueford, of the Northwest Workforce Development Council.


Registration
Any NWDC member is welcome to attend by completing a registration form.

Interested individuals may register or receive more information about the conference by contacting Barbara Urbach at Northwest WorkSource Skagit at (360) 336-5781 ext.209.