More than 100 high school students participated in a day of experiential learning at the Seattle Maritime Academy on Thursday, March 30 as Bainbridge Island-based nonprofit Salish Sea Expeditions, and others, were on hand to introduce them to maritime career opportunities, a key economic sector for our region and one currently threatened by an aging employee pool.

Salish Sea Expeditions educators led marine science lessons aboard one of the Maritime Academy vessels, and also a weather monitoring exercise on the pier.

The Youth Maritime Collaborative, an informal organization made up of about 14 maritime industry companies, including Salish Sea Expeditions, as well as other educational institutions, nonprofits, community service providers and public agencies, was established to help address the maritime industry’s need for workers, explained Salish Sea Expeditions spokeswoman Brenna Sowder.

The goal of the group, she said, is to generate awareness of and interest in entering the maritime workforce.

Visit www.salish.org to learn more.