Crowley and Mass Maritime Partner on Offshore Wind Workforce Training

Jacksonville, Florida-based Crowley Maritime Corporation has announced a partnership with Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) to train workers in the offshore wind sector.

The first-of-its-kind training and workforce development program will be dedicated specifically to the New England region’s offshore wind energy industry. The partnership, which was announced during the International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF) conference, will seek to grow a qualified workforce in the U.S. offshore wind industry, including sea safety and survival instruction.

The program will be certified by the Global Wind Organisation (GWO), a non-profit that sets international standards for safety training. The academy will coordinate with Relyon Nutec, the world’s largest provider of specialized instruction for energy and industrial sectors, to deliver the courses.

“Crowley and MMA are leaders in the maritime industry, and the joint program will help us build the next generation employee serving in the offshore wind industry,” said Jeff Andreini, vice president, Crowley New Energy. “This partnership will provide workers the skills and knowledge they need, and together we help create cleaner energy sources in the U.S.”

Crowley will also continue to provide scholarships, internships and hands-on learning for MMA cadets, including those at sea and at the recently created Maritime Center for Responsible Energy (MCRE) on the academy’s campus in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, as it has does in the past.

“Partnering with industry leaders is critical to our program at MMA. We’re especially proud to team up with Crowley to help prepare the workforce for opportunities in the offshore wind industry,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “Training and internships will help our cadets gain expertise and experience, which will be critical as they pursue careers in this growing field.”

The partnership also will direct resources to create outreach programs and workforce development for underrepresented population groups, specifically in Massachusetts Gateway.

On Monday, Massachusetts Maritime Academy said three of its students have had summer internships at Vineyard Wind, developer of the first commercial-scale offshore wind energy project in the United States, to be located 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard.

“Experiential learning is part of our culture. Learning by doing is an important aspect of our curriculum at MMA,” said Sara Kazamias, Assistant Director of Career and Professional Services at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and alumna of the Class of 2010. “Offshore wind is a new and growing field that touches every major at the Academy. We are so pleased that three of our students are gaining hands-on experience with Vineyard Wind.”

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