EDASC, maritime industry discuss workforce

The Sept. 25 Maritime Workforce Roundtable, hosted by EDASC in partnership with the NW Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology and the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce, generated synergy among those gathered.

Dakota Creek Industries, La Conner Maritime, Aspen Power Catamarans and Pacific Seafood represented the maritime industry itself, while workforce and economic development partners included the Port of Anacortes, Skagit Council of Governments, Swinomish Workforce Development, Northwest Workforce Council, Northwest Career & Technical Academy, WA APEX Accelerator and the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County. Commissioner Joe Burns represented Skagit County.

The day’s discussion centered on workforce recruitment and retention.

Industry representatives present talked about what is and isn’t working in attracting and keeping skilled employees. Challenges and opportunities arise from recruiting younger workers. Mentoring and a clear career path, along with schedule flexibility, can help retain these workers, industry leaders said.  

Dakota Creek Industries’ Adam Brudigam says a key to successful retention is mapping the path for an employee’s development through additional training opportunities. 

“It leads to retention because you’re making a financial and thoughtful investment that shows this organization or this company cares,” he said.

The demand as an industry is vast, said Ann Avary, director of the Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology, with more jobs available than can likely be filled at this time. This makes it all the more important to grow the next generation of skilled tradespeople who can work in maritime. (Read more about the Center for Excellence here)

Building the pipeline of future skilled workers needs to start early, said EDASC’s Ken Huste.  He advocates for introducing children as young as grade school to the maritime industry to spark their curiosity.

“I see opportunities that aren’t tapped yet, especially with some of the younger kids,” he said.

Developing tomorrow’s workforce via students addresses a future need, but the current workforce needs to be bolstered as well. Those gathered named veterans, immigrant communities and formerly incarcerated individuals as groups from which to attract new employees.

Port of Anacortes Executive Director and EDASC Board member John Dumas said the day’s discussion on maritime workforce is part of a larger conversation as part of Skagit County’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). 

Dumas said workforce development is a “big bulk of that strategy” and forums like EDASC’s maritime roundtable provide actionable direction from industry to inform implementation.

The roundtable was the first step in coalescing the maritime community and the other partners, such as transportation and housing, that can affect change to make Skagit County maritime employers more competitive.

This effort is intended to be the beginning of a sustained local effort, and organizations and individuals interested in participating in any portion of this program can contact EDASC directly.