WaveWorks Alliance

Momentum Builds for Maritime Workforce Development, An Exciting New Chapter Ahead We’re encouraged to see this important step forward in sustaining a long-standing institution that has played a vital role in supporting the maritime industry. At WaveWorks Alliance, we believe strongly that meeting today’s growing workforce demand requires protecting and strengthening every existing pathway into maritime careers. Programs like this are critical to maintaining the training capacity, institutional knowledge, and industry alignment needed to support a rapidly expanding ocean economy. This moment underscores a broader reality, demand for skilled maritime talent is outpacing supply, and it will take continued investment, collaboration, and innovation across organizations to close that gap. We’re excited to see what comes next under Northeast Maritime Institute's leadership. With a strong foundation in place, this transition presents a real opportunity to evolve programming, expand access, and ensure even more individuals can successfully enter and thrive in maritime careers. We look forward to following this next phase and to continuing to work alongside partners across the industry to build a stronger, more connected workforce pipeline. #WaveWorksAlliance #MaritimeIndustry #OceanEconomy #WorkforceDevelopment #MaritimeCareers #TalentPipeline #IndustryPartnerships #WorkforceInnovation

A recent article on the MAC Welding & Fabrication Project offers a powerful reminder of something we firmly believe at WaveWorks Alliance: ⭐ The models already exist! ⭐ The nine key insights highlighted in the piece don’t point to the need for entirely new programs, they point to something more important: 👉 Find what works 👉 Understand why it works 👉 Replicate it, with integrity, in areas that need it most What stands out in this example is not just the success of the program, but the clarity of its design: ✅ Strong alignment between industry needs and training ✅ Clear pathways from learning to employment ✅ Deep collaboration across employers, educators, and community partners ✅ A focus on outcomes, not just participation These are not new ideas. They are proven approaches. And yet, too often, we default to building something new instead of scaling what’s already effective. We’re especially proud to see this perspective reinforced by Ann Avary, a WaveWorks Alliance board member, whose work highlights exactly what’s possible when proven models are applied thoughtfully and intentionally. 👏 At WaveWorks Alliance, we see this every day - there are impactful workforce models already in place, but they are unevenly distributed, underutilized, or not connected to regions where opportunity, and need, are growing. The opportunity isn’t invention, it’s replication at scale. 🔧🌊 If we are serious about closing workforce gaps: ✅ We need to invest in proven models ✅ Support adaptation without dilution ✅ And commit to bringing these solutions into new geographies, including inland and emerging regions The MAC project reinforces a simple, actionable truth: We don’t need to start from scratch, we need to scale what works. #WorkforceDevelopment #Maritime #SkilledTrades #TalentPipeline #OceanEconomy #WaveWorksAlliance #MakingWaves #WeldingCareers

This is an important conversation for the future of our workforce, being led by WaveWorks' collaborative partner RAINN We con courage you to take a look, and to add your voice: https://lnkd.in/denk3ShH

News from our home state of Maine! Love to see it. 🌲

Still wondering exactly what WaveWorks Alliance does, and why we’re so passionate about it? You can hear it straight from the… horse’s mouth 🐴 (Do people still say that? Either way, you get the idea.) WaveWorks Executive Director & CEO, Denielle Christensen recently sat down with Liz Schmidt of Women Offshore. Thank you for the opportunity, for a candid conversation about how we’re approaching one of the maritime industry’s biggest challenges, and why helping people find clear, realistic career pathways ultimately helps the entire industry. In this episode, Denielle shares: 🧡 The passion driving WaveWorks’ work, and how helping people ultimately supports the industry 💙 Who we’re focused on helping (and why parents matter more than we think) 🩵 How WaveWorks plans to address the maritime workforce challenge through collaboration, replication, earlier awareness, and clearer career pathways If you’ve ever asked, “So… what is WaveWorks, really?” this is the best place to start. 🎧 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eZKUFASJ #WaveWorksAlliance #MaritimeWorkforce #OceanEconomy #MakingWaves #WorkforceDevelopment #MaritimeCareers #WomenOffshore

We love seeing communities rethink how they prepare students for what comes next. 🩵 🧡 Londonderry High School’s newly announced Lancer Academy is a strong model for career-based learning, bringing together CTE, extended learning opportunities, adult education, and employer partnerships to create flexible, real-world pathways for students. This is the kind of approach WaveWorks Alliance champions: 🔹 Early exposure to career options 🔹 Multiple routes to graduation and employment 🔹 Strong collaboration between education and industry As more schools explore models like this, the opportunity to connect students to high-demand sectors, including the ocean and maritime economy, only grows. We’re encouraged to see this momentum and look forward to continued innovation in career awareness and applaud Londonderry HS for this exciting change! 👏 https://lnkd.in/eeuJvNSU #WaveWorksAlliance #CareerPathways #WorkforcePipeline #CTE #EducationToEmployment #OceanCareers

Calling all mariners! Set a course for your career and sail with NOAA! If you’re in the Mississippi area, join us at the end of this month to learn more about the career opportunities we have for you. Qualified applicants may receive tentative job offers on the spot. Even if you can’t make it to the event, feel free to check out our openings and apply at marinerhiring.noaa.gov. See you there!

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At last week’s Maritime & Logistics Youth Expo in South Carolina, one conversation really stuck with us. We spent time talking with the team from TICO (Terminal Investment Corporation), and it echoed a challenge we hear over and over across the maritime and logistics industries, and one our Executive Director, Denielle Christensen recently explored in a WaveWorks column for WorkBoat Magazine. https://lnkd.in/eYKEeV6P TICO has solid, well-paying jobs available for students right out of high school. The opportunity is real. The challenge comes after hiring. Like many employers, they are finding it difficult to retain younger workers or help them fully rise into the expectations of the role. Their approach is thoughtful and genuine. They have serious, face-to-face conversations with new hires about hard work, accountability, and growth. The message is clear: if you work hard and meet expectations, you will grow here. But they also shared candidly that this old-school approach does not always land the way they hope. When the conversation turned to clearly defining, documenting, and communicating career pathways, the reaction was immediate, it feels overwhelming. And honestly, it is. The work matters, everyone agrees on that. But questions quickly follow. ❓ Where do you start? ❓ How detailed is enough? ❓ How much time does this really take? ❓ Who owns it when there is one HR person already stretched thin? This is where the gap widens. It is easy to say businesses should do this work. It is much harder to resource it, especially for small and mid-sized companies that make up so much of the maritime ecosystem. At WaveWorks Alliance, we believe this challenge is solvable, but not in isolation. ☎️ We are actively looking to connect with companies who have successfully walked this path.If your organization has defined clear career pathways, improved retention of early-career workers, or learned hard lessons along the way, we want to learn from you. Your insight can help shape practical, realistic guidance for other employers trying to do the right thing. ☎️ Please comment, message us, or make an introduction. Let’s learn from what’s already working and make it easier for the next company to start. #WorkforceDevelopment #MaritimeCareers #CareerPathways #Retention #IndustryLeadership #FutureOfWork #WaveWorksAlliance #TICO