Our Vision for a “ Marine Systems Center of Excellence”

 

• We envision a “Marine Systems Center of Excellence ”  being established on the Many Flags Campus
• The primary focus of the Marine Systems Center will be on providing the highest quality training/education – based on the most current industry standards and needs

• The Center will use the facilities/resources being planned for the Many Flags campus (KVCC, U Maine, Voc Tech, etc ) as well as new classroom, labs, shops, and hands on facilities, as needed.
• The Center will provide training/education in broad range of Boat Building and Marine “Systems” — curriculums and programs offered to be determined by the ever evolving needs of the Marine/Boat Building industry.
• We anticipate that most courses offered at the Center will meet ABYC, ACMA, MITC standards (as well as other international standards and ISO standards).
• The Marine Ctr will also conform to new standards that are expected to emerge within the composites technology sector.
• An Industrial Advisory Group will be established to guide the design and development of the Marine Ctr.
• The Marine Systems Ctr on the Many Flags Campus will be coordinated with the workforce development efforts of the North Star Alliance/WIRED Grant project.
• The Marine Systems Ctr will coordinate its efforts with MMTA and MBB.

• The Center will operate like the other Many Flags “partners” - i.e., it will use the programs, curriculums and instructors of existing programs in Maine – teachers from the Community College System, U Maine, the Voc Tech School, and private programs such as the Landings School and Apprentice Workshop, will all be encouraged to offer programs through the “Center” etc.  We will also encourage our partners to provide non-duplicative programs and courses targeted to their core constituencies.
• Whenever possible, a common curriculum will be used – but once again – the needs of the industry will dictate – not the needs of the schools.
• The Center will work closely and cooperatively with the emerging Composites R&D and Production industry sector in Maine – design, engineering, CAD/CAM, Industrial Hygiene, etc— could all be offered at the Center on the Many Flags Campus – depending on the needs of the industry
• The “Center” may  also hire outside “experts/instructors”  as needed by the industry
• Distance learning will be used at the Marine Systems Center of Excellence – in fact, we hope that the Marine Systems Center of Excellence on the Many Flags Campus can become one of  the primary suppliers of distance learning in the Marine Systems field in Maine and beyond  – state of the art studio, distance learning “streaming/beaming” facilities/equipment will be a part of the Center design
• It will be essential that the programs that will be “sharing” the space/equipment, etc at the Center have articulation agreements with each other – we envision integrated programs and transferable credits as being common at the Marine System Center.
• A “portfolio” process may be used at the Center to allow students to acquire courses and certificates that will be applied to college credit and degrees.
• We envision a single Administrator and single student counseling service for this Marine Systems Center –much like the single administrator and counseling service  planned for the Higher Ed Ctr on the Many Flags Campus – while many programs/schools may be offering course, certificates, and degrees out of the Marine Systems Center on the Many Flags Campus – there should be only one Administrator for the facility that coordinates the Marine Systems programs and ensures that they are all well integrated into the other parts of the Many Flags campus (HS, Voc Tech School, Higher Ed Ctr).
• Degrees, certificates, etc will not be conferred by the Marine Systems Center – but rather –the “parent” institution that is providing the training/education through the Center will confer the certificate/degrees, etc.
• For High School Students – we envision the following:
• Dual enrollment/Dual credit opportunities
• Pre-apprenticeship programs offer to HS Jr/Sr
• A coordinated “Marine Trades Basics” program – overseen by the Voc Tech School (may use the ABYC High School Curriculum outline).
• Special Martine System programs for alternative or at risk HS students –hands on, applied learning techniques used as a way to engage (and challenge) these students.

o       A Marine Trades “Worker Readiness” certificate should be available

• We envision a full range of Marine Systems courses being made available to people at many differing skill levels - Adult Ed students; industry continuing education; incumbent workers; non-traditional students, etc.
• There is a shortage of skilled, highly qualified, available instructors for Marine Systems training in Maine – we therefore envision that the Many Flags Marine Systems Center will offer “Train the Trainer” courses to begin building the stock of qualified/available instructors for the growing Marine industry in Maine.
• To better serve the needs of the industry – the Marine System Center will offer individual “just in time” training modules as the needs are demonstrated by the industry (credits or CEUs will come with these individual modules)
• We envision that both the Voc Tech School and the Marine Systems Center on the Many Flags Campus will offer training on new products/equipment for the industry Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) testing/training
• Post Secondary course for the Maine Apprenticeship Program will be made available, as determined by the industry.
• The Center will coordinate and widely market/distribute information about the marine systems courses/programs offered at Many Flags campus to all industry partners, associations, and training institutions.