EVERETT – One Pacific Northwest tall ship is helping local teenagers discover the many maritime careers available right here in the Puget Sound region.
On Friday, Aug. 7, an innovative partnership between nonprofit Sound Experience, the Port of Everett, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County will bring approximately 45 teens to the Everett waterfront for a full day of hands-on maritime career exploration.
The participants, members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County, will arrive at the Port of Everett where they will be welcomed by Port Commissioner Glen Bachman before taking part in a variety of waterfront activities. Throughout the morning, students will tour the Port and hear from maritime professionals representing organizations including the Puget Sound Pilots and theSeafarers International Union, among others.
Following lunch, the students will board the 133-foot National Historic Landmark schooner, Adventuress, for an afternoon sail. While underway, they will experience teamwork, navigation, vessel operations, and other skills that are essential to many of the maritime careers currently in demand throughout the Puget Sound region.
As part of Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County’s Life & Workforce Readiness initiative, these hands-on experiences help prepare teens and young people for successful futures. They introduce participants to local industries, trusted mentors, and career pathways that can lead to careers right here in Snohomish County and throughout the Puget Sound region. For the youth, opportunities like this are about much more than a fun summer field trip. They provide young people with meaningful exposure to careers they may have never considered while helping them build confidence, expand their networks, and connect learning to real-world experiences.
The Port of Everett’s support of this program is part of its broader efforts to address a critical challenge facing ports and maritime industries nationwide: building the next generation of maritime professionals. Through strategic partnerships with educational institutions, workforce development organizations, community groups, and local employers, the Port supports multiple avenues that introduce young people to maritime careers, provides hands-on learning, and connects young people to industry-recognized training and employment opportunities.
About Sound Experience
Sound Experience (www.soundexp.org) was founded in 1989 to educate, inspire, and empower young people through experiential learning on the water. Its education platform is the 133-foot schooner Adventuress, a U.S. Coast Guard-inspected passenger vessel and National Historic Landmark. Over the past 37 years, more than 40,000 children and teens have sailed on day and overnight programs gaining hands-on experience in maritime skills, marine science, environmental stewardship, teamwork, and leadership while exploring the unique waters of Puget Sound and the Salish Sea.
About Boys & Girls Club of Snohomish County
For 80 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County (www.bgcsc.org) has enabled young people—especially those who need them most—to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, 29 Clubs and 13 school-based extension sites, across 10 counties, serve more than 29,000 children and teens through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing, and on Native American lands, and also serve military families. Clubs provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, life and workforce readiness, healthy lifestyles, and leadership development.
About the Port of Everett
The Port of Everett is a special-purpose district tasked with economic development. Through its international seaport, public marina and real estate development, the Port of Everett brings jobs, tax base, business and tourism to our community and region. The Port is a committed steward of the environment and waterfront. Port activities support more than 40,000 jobs in the surrounding community and contribute $433 million in state and local taxes. Learn more at www.portofeverett.com.
Source: Port of Everett
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
