The marine industry is growing and with it the need for trained and qualified workers is growing too. In an effort to help meet that growing demand, Boating BC will be bridging the gap between employers and would-be marine workers at this month’s Vancouver International Boat Show.
The Marine Careers Feature at the Vancouver Boat Show will give people a chance to ask questions of industry professionals and even sign up for technical programs through BCIT and Qudrant Marine.
“Boating BC is proud to present “Careers in Marine Trades” at this year’s boat show. The recreational boating industry in B.C. continues to grow and there are excellent opportunities for young people to get involved and make their passion their profession,” said Don Prittie, President of Boating BC.
Located at booth 538, the Careers in Marine Trades station will allow prospective marine workers to meet representatives from BCIT’s Marine Mechanical Technician program and from Quadrant Marine Institute’s Marine Service Technician program.
Both BCIT’s and Quadrant’s programs give students hands-on training in a marine-related field. Graduates are then employed by marinas, repair yards, boat builders and specialty marine business that provide equipment, repair and maintenance services.
In addition to the Careers booth, representatives and technicians will be available in the DIY Garage seminar area. This is an informational resource area for common boat maintenance topics and will provide an interactive environment where attendees can ask questions to professional instructors from a wide range of marine backgrounds.
“This feature will help people speak to the program providers and people who work in the industry first-hand to learn more and hopefully get inspired,” said Prittie.
Show-goers can also check out current jobs and opportunities for the coming season on the job board located just outside the DIY Garage.
In Canada, more than 373,000 jobs are directly or indirectly related to the marine industry and the demand for marine professionals continues to increase as baby boomers retire.