Our Story
A rich history renewed…
The maritime industry in Washington State has a legacy of providing living wage jobs that surpass those in competing industries. Despite an overall growth in the industry, fewer workers are entering the maritime trade, and the average age of maritime employees is 54 years old. As income inequality worsens, it is important to prioritize the development of jobs that do not require advanced degrees or the burden of accrued student debt. Further, enhanced training programs are a vital component to creating a robust workforce which will ultimately contribute to the sustainability of the maritime industry. Apprenticeship programs address skilled labor shortages by providing potential workers a direct path to employment through classroom and on-the-job training.
In 2021, Eat on the Wild Side began the development of the novel apprenticeship known as The Inbreaker Program. As a Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) that is federally recognized by the Department of Labor, our mission is to expand high quality training opportunities to new candidates in commercial halibut and sablefish fisheries. The pilot year of the program in underway! The classroom training of The Inbreaker Program began in February 2022. Our first-year apprentices are currently completing their on-the-job training during the remainder of the halibut fishing season. To learn more about The Inbreaker Program, click here.
Beyond commercial fishing, apprenticeship programs remain lacking in other areas of the maritime industry. To address this need, we are proud to announce the development of Crawford Nautical Training, a subsidiary of Eat on the Wild Side! Crawford Nautical School, the Seattle-based organization that’s been helping seamen advance careers since 1923, has generously donated their school’s curriculum to Eat on the Wild Side, including a century’s worth of knowledge and experience in maritime training.
Looking to the future…
As Crawford Nautical Training continues to grow, we hope to develop other apprenticeships that will meet the demands of employers. A potential need identified by employers in the Pacific Northwest maritime industry is able-bodied seamen (able seafarers). An able-bodied seamen apprenticeship would funnel new entrants directly into careers in the towing, logistics, and shipping trades, as well as passenger transportation industries. We are working directly with employers and the union coalition to develop the parameters of these programs, and we encourage any partners to reach out if they would like to be involved. Equally important to the recruitment of new entrants is investment in the retention of the incumbent workforce through continued training. Licensing requirements continue to increase for merchant mariners, creating a demand for comprehensive continuing education in the maritime commercial field. Looking to the future, our plan includes bringing greater accessibility to industry training by developing elements of apprenticeships and continuing education into virtual learning opportunities. By integrating Crawford’s rich curriculum with new and continued career pathways and apprenticeship programs for a variety of maritime careers, we can continue to strengthen our great Pacific Northwest maritime legacy!
Crawford Nautical Training’s 1st graduation class of Washington State Ferry Able-bodied Seafarers.