ABYC endorses high school marine curriculum

EDGEWATER, Md. – The American Boat & Yacht Council and the Rhode Island Career and Technical Center Director’s Association of Warwick, R.I. have completed the first unified, standards-based, high-school-level marine technology curriculum in the country, ABYC said in a release today.

This newly developed marine curriculum is a 14 module, two-year, high-school-level program, designed to be delivered within a typical secondary school schedule, and is ABYC standards- based and endorsed. ABYC is also encouraging local industry to join with area schools to provide student internships to both compliment and reinforce what is presented in the curriculum.

“It is important to note that each of these modules centers itself on applicable ABYC Standards and Technical Information Reports for small craft, and other recognized industry best practices such as those outlined by the American Boatbuilder’s and Repairer’s Association,” said Ed Sherman, ABYC’s curriculum development administrator and senior instructor.

While a number of the ABYC standards are already being used in the Rhode Island Marine Technology courses, full implementation and use of the curriculum by all of the high school Marine Technology programs in R.I. is slated to begin this fall.

“ABYC will make this curriculum available to other school systems throughout North America, as well as assist school districts in ‘regionalizing’ the program to best accommodate the marine industry in their local area,” said Bonnie Barsa, ABYC’s education director. “Our intention is to work with other states to implement state approved and ABYC endorsed marine high school programs across the country, and in doing so, we will have education programs that meet specific industry needs for specific regions.”

To ensure consistent delivery and interpretation of standards-based material found within the curriculum, ABYC will require training for high school marine technology instructors who must ultimately complete and pass the ABYC Standards Accreditation exam, as well as the ABYC “Train the Trainer” course.

ABYC will also provide each student participating in this approved curriculum an ABYC student membership, and upon successful completion of the approved curriculum, graduates will receive, in addition to their high school diploma, an “Marine Trades Journeyman” certificate issued by ABYC.

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