Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation

The 4th and final week of in-class instruction for Buoyant Beginnings is officially complete!

Our students earned their CPR and First Aid certifications through Backcountry Medical Guides' ten-hour training, and learned essential spill response protocol from Marine Spill Response Corporation. Safety first — always!

And they closed out the week in the best way possible — putting their professional development skills to the test on Interview Day! 13 companies from all around the waterfront showed up to meet our pre-apprentices, each one volunteering to host a student for the next two weeks. Every single student went through 8 interviews in one afternoon — talk about hustle! We are so incredibly proud of how far these students have come and can't wait to see them shine in their placements.

A huge thank you to our safety instructors and employer partners of this week!

NW Explorations marine
Lummi Island Wild
Auxiliary Engine and Generator Service
Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition
Epic Yacht Services
Pacific Marine Yacht Systems
Performance Fiberglass
Top to Bottom
Barlean’s Fishery
Marine Spill Response Corporation
Community Boating Center - Bellingham

Bellingham Marine Repair

Buoyant Beginnings — Week 3 Recap!

What a week for our pre-apprentices! Between industry tours, job shadows, and hands-on classroom learning, they're building real momentum. A huge shoutout to Talia and Ben, graduates of the Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship at Pacific Marine Yacht Systems, and Claire, a graduate of last year's Buoyant Beginnings cohort — thank you for sharing your experience with our next generation!

The learning didn't stop there: students earned their Forklift Certification with Safety Dave from Safety West Coast Services and got a crash course in engines from Howard Hawke and marine systems from Parker Armstrong. They also sharpened their professional development skills, working on resumes to help set themselves up for success. Week by week, these students are leveling up and getting closer to joining the pros!

Special Thanks for our many partners for Week 3:
Auxiliary Engine and Generator Service
Bellingham Marine Repair
NW Explorations
Performance Fiberglass
Backcountry Medical Guides
Pacific Marine Yacht Systems
Armstrong Marine Services
San Juan Sailing and Yachting
Safety West Coast Services
LFS Distribution Center
Epic Yacht Management
Lummi Island Wild
Barlean’s Fishery

For the last few months, something exciting has been quietly taking shape at 708 Coho Way: the Maritime Library! We been growing our educational reach by collecting books from the community — all things maritime.

Read more about our newest Foundation Feature here -

The Maritime Library — Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation For the last few months, something exciting has been quietly taking shape at 708 Coho Way: the Maritime Library! The Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation has been growing our educational reach by collecting books from the community — all things maritime.

Week Two of Buoyant Beginnings: In the Books!

Another incredible week is on the books for our pre-apprentices — and they're diving in deeper than ever! With hands-on experience at an all-time high, these students are learning straight from the pros: instructors from all corners of the waterfront are bringing real-world skill and passion right to the docks.

Two weeks down, and the momentum is only building. Stay tuned — big things ahead for Buoyant Beginnings!

A special thanks to our partners for week 2:
Pacific Marine Yachts Systems - Ben Oliver
AkzoNobel - Dave Atwater
Salish Center for Sustainable Fishing Methods - Riley Starks
Lummi Indian Business Council - Vanessa Cooper & Team

Whether you’re already working in the industry and want to expand your skills, an employer investing in your team’s training, or someone ready to begin a career in the marine trades—the Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship is here for you.

Don’t miss your chance—enrollment is still open for our next Level 1 Cohort starting September 12!

✔ 4-year state-registered apprenticeship training Marine Service Technicians
✔ Earn while you learn: on-the-job training + weekly evening classes & one Saturday a month (Sept–April)
✔ Employers welcome: open to marine service & boat building companies in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island, San Juan, Kitsap, Jefferson, Clallam, and King County

Eligibility:
18 years or older
High school diploma or GED
Must be employed by a marine service or boat building company

Contact [email protected] to learn more and secure your spot today! https://www.waterfrontfoundation.org/northwest-maritime-apprenticeship

Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship — Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation The Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship, a four-year, state-registered apprenticeship training Marine Service Technicians.A Marine Service Technician (MST) is a skilled tradesperson who builds, maintains and/or repairs vessels up to 150’. They work in marinas, boatyards, service centers, and special...

Buoyant Beginning's has kicked off! This year's cohort of 20 students have officially completed their first week of classes, industry tours, and workshops. Wish them luck on week 2!

Thank you to all of our partners from Week 1:
Community Boating Center - Bellingham
Gato Verde Adventure Sailing
Seaview Boatyard
Birdon
All American Marine
San Juan Cruises
Trident Seafoods
The Landings at Colony Wharf, LLC
Washington Sea Grant

Meet the Crew! Darcey Maher Peterson is the Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation's newest addition and we can't wait to introduce her! Find out more about Darcey here;

Meet the Crew! — Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation Our newest crew member, Darcey Maher Peterson, has assumed the role of Program Coordinator for the Buoyant Beginnings Pre-Apprenticeship.

When you're invited to introduce over 250 middle school students to the exciting careers available in the maritime industry, the answer is always yes! We’re grateful to Snohomish STEM for inviting us back year after year to inspire the next generation of maritime professionals.

What does investing in Snohomish County's future workforce look like?

It looks like seven local employers and organizations showing up at Explorer Middle School on June 10 — leading hands-on career stations, sharing their work, and helping 263 middle schoolers discover careers they didn't know existed.

That's exactly what happened at STEM Like Me!® 🎉

By the end of the day:
✅ STEM career knowledge increased 45%
✅ Students with high interest in STEM careers nearly doubled
✅ 54% of students said they can imagine themselves in a STEM job one day

A huge thank you to our community partners who made it possible:

⭐ Sanbell
⭐ Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center
⭐ Eckstrom Industries
⭐ PACE Engineers, Inc. (PACE)
⭐ WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
⭐ NW Maritime Apprenticeships | Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation
⭐ Snohomish County PUD

And to our program supporters, Google Cloud and Economic Alliance Snohomish County. Thank you for believing in career-connected learning as a strategy for long-term regional economic development.

👉 Read the full impact summary on our blog, link in comments!