The maritime industry is facing a workforce crisis that recruitment alone cannot solve. Experienced workers are retiring faster than qualified people are coming up behind them, and the roots of that problem run deeper than the hiring process. In communities across the Pacific Northwest, many young people have lost their connection to the water and have no idea what a maritime career looks like, let alone that it can lead to a family-wage job out of high school or a six-figure career over time. 

This panel brings together workforce development organizations working at different points along the pipeline — from middle school exposure programs and maritime-focused high schools to employer readiness frameworks and technology-supported hiring systems — to share what is working, what isn’t, and where the industry needs to invest next. 

Parents, teachers, and young people curious about careers on the water are encouraged to sit in. This session is as relevant for the next generation considering maritime careers as it is for the industry professionals working to recruit and retain them. 

Attendees will:

• Understand why the maritime workforce crisis response must span education, employer culture, community partnerships, and hiring infrastructure
• Learn how early exposure programs are building the long-term pipeline that worker training programs depend on
• Hear how employer readiness frameworks and diagnostic tools can identify hidden barriers to retention, advancement, and workforce stability
• Explore what younger and first-generation maritime workers are looking for from employers