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by giving company-speci? c training, which shows us how as two and a half years, but our maritime apprentice pro- these companies are being proactive in tracking trends and gram basically offers a fast track into the industry,” Gianel- analyzing what would suit their mariners best, beyond reg- loni said. “These programs are incredibly successful.” ulatory requirements.” MITAGS guides students through in-classroom training and helps arrange opportunities for gaining all-important practical knowledge at sea. By the end, a student can take a

Workforce gaps

It’s well known that the maritime industry is among those license prep course before sitting for an unlimited tonnage dealing with a shortage of quali? ed personnel. MITAGS of- third mate license exam.

fers several pathways that aim to help ? ll some of the work- “The pathway for a mariner to both enter the ? eld and force gaps, including programs approved by the U.S. Coast then raise their license is confusing and sometimes very

Guard, State of Washington Workforce Training and Educa- overwhelming. And unless we’re getting the students di- tion Board and Maryland Higher Education Commission. rectly from a state maritime academy—which is also a “We have programs designed to help people both gain an phenomenal option—it can be very hard to enter adult original license/credential and upgrade the license/creden- education without a clear roadmap.” tial that they have. These programs sometimes last as long Gianelloni said MITAGS actively works to remove barriers that often prevent newcomers from entering the workforce— including ? nancial obstacles. “It’s a signi? cant ask of some- body to dedicate two years without any type of sponsorship,”

Gianelloni said, adding that MITAGS tries to secure funds to cover as much of the training as possible or arrange situations where the funds are forgiven after so many years. “In this en- vironment it is unreasonable to ask somebody to get paid ca- det wages for two years while they go through the program.” “We partner with a lot of organizations to try and spon- sor their mariners through the program. They want the quali? ed worker on the tail end, and we can help provide what they need. And what we need is time on board their vessels to train these mariners in the practical application.”

Simulator strength

Asked about some of the things that set MITAGS apart from other training providers, Gianelloni gave a shoutout 12 | MN February 2024