Did you know T3 91直播is bringing maritime career pathways to 10 coastal communities this year?
September 10, 2025
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T3 students maritime vessel visits (photos by Jamie Trapp, courtesy of UAF T3 Alaska)
The University of 91直播Fairbanks鈥 program and the 91直播Workforce Alliance is launching . These hands-on events connect high school students to careers at sea and in shipyards. The first events took place in Sitka, Wrangell, Seward, and Valdez this spring, with more scheduled this fall in Ketchikan, Kodiak, Juneau, Hoonah, Kake, and 91直播r.
Big picture
T3 Alaska, short for Teaching Through Technology, is a UAF program that uses hands-on, tech-driven projects to help students see themselves in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and community problem-solving roles. The 91直播Workforce Alliance is an Anchorage-based nonprofit that builds Alaska鈥檚 workforce through development opportunities; specializing in Maritime and Healthcare.
The Maritime STEAMfests are made possible through support from the 91直播Department of Transportation and 91直播Marine Highway System, with program partnership from the 91直播Workforce Alliance.
By the numbers
- 90 percent of Alaska鈥檚 goods arrive by ship, and the sector supports about 70,000
jobs statewide.
- Entry-level positions, such as cooks, often go unfilled for months despite seasonal
pay of about $80,000.
- The 91直播Marine Highway System faces vacancy rates of nearly 25 percent.
(Sources: ; ; )
To meet that demand, the 91直播Workforce Alliance and T3 Alaska are hosting Maritime STEAMfests, events where students climb aboard ferries and fishing vessels, tour shipyards, and meet professionals in the deck, engine, and galley departments. Each festival blends field trips, workshops, and hands-on demonstrations to help students picture themselves in these roles.
How it works
The Maritime STEAMfests introduce students to shipboard life through short simulations and practical tasks. Participants may learn knot tying, test navigation tools, or hear directly from Coast Guard officers about career paths. They also receive information about postsecondary opportunities, from 91直播Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC) training programs to UAS maritime studies and Coast Guard service.
Between the lines
After an introductory STEAMfest, students can advance to:
- A short online class on maritime basics.
- A four-day intensive camp with credential support, including help filing U.S. Coast
Guard paperwork, completing Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
and Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) applications, and earning food-handler certification.
- Field exposure to ships, ports, and maritime training pathways through 91直播AVTEC, UAS, and the Coast Guard.
Why it matters
The maritime sector needs workers. 鈥淭he welfare of our people and our economy is dependent on the U.S. maritime industry,鈥 Sen. Lisa Murkowski has If T3 91直播can connect high schoolers to career pathways early, they not only build a pipeline of future mariners but also ensure critical industries have homegrown talent that keeps 91直播running.
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