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from Mass Maritime, from the academies, ing company, a classmate might assume with familiar Leadership driving the lat- we’re there. We’re doing our own partner- that you couldn’t ? nd another job. A est in technology and infrastructure, all ships and we’re also doing a heck of a lot couple things have changed: one, the vectored into an effort to bring a high of work with high schools and middle technology and the requirements in the quality education to an increasingly schools. For example, we run the ASLP industry have changed where that job is diverse student body. Fran McDonald program – Advanced Studies in Leader- much more dif? cult. Secondly, the ac- would be the ? rst person to tell you that ship Program – for regional Cape Cod stu- commodations on board have improved. it remains a work in progress. dents in the top 10 percent of their class.” And, we’re seeing a graduate who has a That said; the groundwork for what

And while Cape Cod isn’t necessarily stronger interest in the kind of rotation is to come next has already been ? rmly diverse from a racial standpoint, the pro- that they offer, 14-on, 21-on, as opposed laid. Those efforts are already yielding gram has been quite successful in terms of to, you know, 2 months, 6 months. And, fruit.

gender diversity. As much as 60 percent the money gap between brown and blue Without a doubt, the Academy today of the middle schoolers that visit campus water has closed measurably, if not is in good hands. Leveraging the best are girls, reinforcing the idea that they too completely disappeared.” from a storied past, leadership from can be a ship captain or a ship engineer. For all those reasons and more, it made within the ranks and a cogent look

McDonald went on to list three or four sense to invest in the 360 tug simulator, ahead towards what remains to be done, additional programs that the academy not a small tug ? eet, including a barge. At Mass. Maritime is rede? ning the notion only partners with, but actively supports. this time, the extra piece is an elective of how a maritime professional should

He explains, “It is these types of efforts – two electives in the deck program for be developed and, just as importantly, that we have to invest in if we’re going to students who are particularly interested. what that individual can do to shape the get a quali? ed diverse pool, and not slide next 125 years on a global waterfront. down into opening up the standards.” Fran McDonald wouldn’t have it any Looking Back, Moving Ahead Today’s Massachusetts Maritime other way.

Brown & Blue … Water Academy ? nds itself on a steady course, – MarPro.

Like the majors that opened up the curriculum, a changing seagoing job climate has shifted the academy’s focus ever so slightly towards brown water, although not necessarily away from the traditional unlimited license track ca- dets of old. “We have not diverged to the point of offering a limited license,

McDonald says, adding, “We try to get everybody out the door with all of those options still in play.” That said; the

Academy prides itself on staying cur- rent with industry trends. Today’s facul- ty ship out in the summer, investigating new opportunities with sabbaticals, and all MMA majors have an industry advi- sory council made up of industry profes- sionals – some alumni and others from different places. These individuals take a look at the curriculum once or twice a year, offer some constructive criticism, and talk about trends in industry.

McDonald agrees that the view of so-called brown water work has indeed changed. “Twenty or thirty years ago, if you said you were starting with a tow- www.maritimeprofessional.com Maritime Professional 39| | 34-49 Q4 MP2015.indd 39 11/18/2015 9:43:45 AM