The U.S. maritime industry came together en masse to educate the educators at the American School Counselor Association’s annual conference in Long Beach in July 12 to 14. The three-day event saw unprecedented participation — which was organized and coordinated by American Maritime Officers and STAR Center — from maritime labor, operating companies, training institutions, maritime academies and government agencies. The singular goal was to introduce nearly 5,000 school counselors — ranging from elementary school to high school levels from across the country — to the maritime industry as a career path for their students. Representatives from more than 40 organizations and companies staffed 52 exhibit booths in Maritime Row, covering nearly every aspect of how counselors could get their students involved in the maritime industry and U.S. Merchant Marine. AMO and STAR Center also led a well-received presentation about the merits of maritime. Along with hundreds of requests for more information, several school districts have asked to set up career days to generate greater awareness about the industry.
