‘Empower Maine’s Workforce’ – Developing Offshore Wind Expertise

Alex Chen July 18, 2023 Technology

Maine Maritime Academy, Maine Community College System, and Diamond Offshore Wind Partner to Offer Offshore Wind Training

BUCKSPORT, Maine (WABI) – A big announcement Tuesday at Maine Maritime Academy’s Center for Professional Mariner Development in Bucksport.

MMA, the Maine Community College System, and Diamond Offshore Wind are partnering to offer Offshore Wind Training.

With more initiatives and developments for offshore technology, the need increases for folks to service offshore wind farms.

So, the message today is, “marinize” Maine’s workforce.

“It’s symbolic of the next era of Maine and Maine positioning itself in the green energy world, particularly with offshore wind. It is substantive because it demonstrates how Maine Maritime Academy in partnership with other higher ed stakeholders, but also the companies that are going to be developing offshore wind, how all of this working together can do this, can create new jobs, can build Maine’s workforce,” said MMA President Jerry Paul.

“This is really wonderful for my students because students in the PET (Power Engineering Technology) program are now going out into coops and into full-time jobs in the wind industry, so they’re able to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and really use it to go develop their careers and what they want to do,” said Sadie Alley Ferreira, MMA associate professor of engineering.

MMA is calling for more industry support for hiring, internship opportunities, and scholarships as these trainings increase.