By Ann Avary, June 25, 2026

Whether the conversation is about vessel operations, shipbuilding and repair, marine technology, or the broader maritime industry, the message is the same: "We need more people."

Yet when we look closer, the issue isn't always a lack of interest. In many cases, it's a pathway problem.

We have built workforce systems that are often difficult to navigate, slow to respond, and heavily focused on traditional educational models that don't always reflect how people learn or enter careers today.

At a time when the maritime industry is facing unprecedented workforce shortages, we need to take a fresh look at how people gain skills, enter employment, and advance throughout their careers. That conversation must include non-credit learning.