The U.S. Maritime industry came together to educate the educators at the American School Counselor Association Annual Conference in Long Beach on July 12-14. The unprecedented three-day event brought together labor, shipping companies, maritime training schools and academies and government agencies with the sole goal of introducing nearly 5,000 school counselors – ranging from elementary schools to high schools from across the country – to the maritime industry and explaining why they should consider a seagoing career for their students. Representatives from more than 40 shipping agencies manned 52 exhibit booths in an area dubbed “Mariners’ Row” describing nearly every aspect of a seagoing career and how counselors could get their students involved in the merchant marine. American Maritime Officers and STAR Center also led a well-received on-stage presentation about the merits of maritime. Along with hundreds of requests for more information about maritime, several school districts have asked to set up career days in their area – creating even more awareness about the industry and sparking the potential for a new pipeline for the next generation of merchant mariners.
