MTAM celebrates continued on-the-job training success

“This is the first job I’ve had that I get up in the morning and I am excited to go to work,” said Hunter Granger of Pocket Yacht Company.

Granger recently completed the Marine Trades Association of Maryland’s (MTAM) six-week On-the-job Training (OJT) Program with Pocket Yacht Company in Chester, Md. He heard about the program through the Introduction to Marine Engines course at Chesapeake College. He enrolled in the course after seeing an advertisement from the college on Facebook about the local demand for marine service technicians. At the time, Granger, who had been in the restaurant business since he was 16 years old, was looking to make a career change. He enrolled in the course, learned about the OJT program, and shortly thereafter began his training at Pocket Yacht Company, where he is now a full-time employee.

The project is funded by the State of Maryland’s EARN Maryland Grant Program, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

During his six weeks of OJT, Granger learned how to block, winterize, and shrinkwrap a boat. He also gained experience with bottom paint, pulling trailers, servicing outboards, operating a forklift, changing the filters on vapor separator tanks, and thermostat installation. Service manager Tony Schulstad described Granger as “timely, positive, great at teamwork, and willing to do whatever needs to be done.”

Granger earned a Yamaha certification upon completing the marine engine course at Chesapeake College, but has plans to participate in further training and eventually become a Master Marine Technician. He recommends MTAM’s On-the-job Training Program as “a good way to get a jump start on a new career.” “It gives you the knowledge and tools you need to be successful as an entry level marine technician,” he said.

For more information about the Marine Trades Association of Maryland, visit  mtam.org, facebook.com/DiscoverMarylandBoating and Instagram: @WorkontheWater.