News & Interest

February 22nd, 2010

IYRS Career Day – March 6

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One-Day Event in Newport to Feature Green Marine Technology Expert

Newport (R.I.) – The Fifth Annual Marine Industry Career Day on March 6 at the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport will again be the singular event in Rhode Island where marine industry professionals and career seekers can meet area employers and learn about job and training opportunities in the field. But this year, IYRS has broadened the scope of the event beyond current career opportunities. Career Day will cast an eye toward the future with a special presentation by marine technology expert Nigel Calder, who will talk about green technological advances on the horizon for the global marine industry.

“Technology in our world is changing so rapidly. We wanted Career Day to be a valuable opportunity for education-to help career seekers stay ahead of the curve by learning about advances in marine technology from a leading expert, and about the career opportunities that will emerge as a result,” said Susan Daly, VP, Marketing of IYRS.

The Fifth Annual Marine Industry Career Day will take place on Saturday, March 6 at IYRS Restoration Hall (449 Thames Street, Newport, R.I.) from 10 am to 2 pm. The one-day event is free to the public. Career Day will draw some 20 marine companies from throughout New England.

Career Day attendees will be able to gather information about marine careers, meet with area employers, learn about skills in demand by the marine industry and training programs to acquire those skills, and attend informative seminars on careers, training, and marine technology.

Nigel Calder’s seminar at 10:30 AM, “Nigel Calder Looks into the Future of Marine Technology,” kicks off the Career Day seminars. A leading authority on marine systems and technology and a veteran cruiser, Calder has not only published extensively on boating technology and technique; he is also working with emerging technology first-hand, having outfitted his Malo 45 sailboat with an innovative hybrid propulsion system. His experimentation has made him a central player in a $3 million European Union research & development effort on hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial and recreational vessels.

Three additional seminars will follow Calder’s presentation, including:
• “Green Technology” / 11:30 AM
• “Finding Employment Opportunities in the Marine Trades” / 12:30 PM
• “Funding Your Education” / 1:30 PM

According to Calder, “We are on the cusp of greater technological changes in our industry than at any time in the past thirty years.” Leaders in the marine industry join in Calder’s opinion, looking at innovation and technological advances as a way to reinvigorate the marine industry and pave the way out of the current recession. The school also shares Calder’s mindset. This January, IYRS announced the launch of a new full-time program in Composites Technology, which will begin in Fall 2010. With a nine-month, in-depth curriculum, the program is designed to train innovators in the composites area.

This March, the Education & Training Committee of the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA) will spearhead the industry’s closer investigation of the use of green technologies by organizing a half-day “Green Marine” presentation and discussion on the topic. The event is slated to take place in Bristol (R.I.) the Friday preceding IYRS Career Day and will draw industry experts such as Nigel Calder as well as representatives from State and Federal government agencies who will provide information on the funding sources that can make these technological changes a reality in the boating business.

IYRS maintains two campuses in Rhode Island, in Newport and Bristol. Each locale is uniquely suited to the programs offered there. The waterfront campus in Newport is home to the full-time Boatbuilding & Restoration program; this campus includes two historic buildings from 1831 and 1903 and is the site of notable historic restorations, including the restoration of the rare 1885 schooner yacht Coronet. The Bristol teaching facility is home to the Marine Systems and Composites Technology programs; the facility is located at the Franklin Street Marine Corridor, a recently developed industrial/educational complex where students mix with marine-industry companies.

For more information on the Fifth Annual Marine Industry Career Day on March 6, including a list of companies attending the event, visit www.iyrs.org or contact John Freer (jfreer@iyrs.org / 401-848-5777, ext. 203). For more on the RIMTA “Green Marine” presentation and discussion, visit www.rimta.org.