Innovative Ways to Provide Marine Training

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Innovative Ways to Provide Marine Training

Adding Virtual Reality to our Youth-to-Work Maritime Program

MIGUEL PADILLA

In 2021, our programming team embarked on an ambitious new venture: to expand our program offerings by building a virtual reality (VR) training program.

MADELINE TULIK helped us scope out this project and facilitated collaboration between our vendors, leadership team, and department staff. Early on, Madeline and team identified marine training as the best arena for developing the VR module, because the industry is highly specialized and requires technical and immersive training on a boat. This VR training program is intended to help prepare future crew members for work on a ship by familiarizing trainees with the inner workings of a boat and the different tools and procedures needed to keep it running safely and efficiently. Our team is now in the process of working with our VR partners at Designori to develop the various VR training modules necessary to facilitate virtual training for participants in Western Alaska.

We also continue to offer our Youth-to-Work Maritime (YTWM) Program, which is now in its third year of operation. Each summer, YTWM participants gain hands-

I believe you should always have a good work ethic — no matter where you go or what you do.

TERRENCE ENOCH,

YOUTH-TO-WORK PARTICIPANT

on maritime experience and in-depth nautical training that fulfills the requirements for a certificate in nautical skills from Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC). In 2021, 35 youth participated in this program, which is designed to impart the basic skills needed for them to pursue a career in the maritime industry. For TERRENCE ENOCH, the YTWM Program was a way to learn new skills and strengthen existing ones. He said that the YTW Programs he took part in were useful to him as a way of preparing him for a career. “I believe you should always have a good work ethic — no matter where you go or what you do.”