Alaska Maritime Education Consortium

The University of Alaska (UA) and the Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC) have established a formal partnership, the Alaska Maritime Education Consortium (AMEC).  The mission of the AMEC is to “collaborate to prepare Alaskans for afloat and ashore careers that will support and strengthen the maritime workforce” by combining efforts to provide maritime training and education across the state. These careers align with the priority occupations in boat and ship building, vessel repair and maintenance, port maintenance, and vessel operations identified in the 2014 Alaska Maritime Workforce Development Plan and the AMEC 2020-2025 Action Agenda.

AMEC includes 6 Consortium Partners, and Affiliate Partners consisting of 4 post-secondary institutions, 4 non-profit/tribal organizations and 7 school districts.

AMEC Consortium Partners are: 

AMEC Affiliate Partners are:

AMEC is a 2024 Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE)

AMEC is one of 27 nationwide Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE) announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) in 2021 and again in 2024. Authorized under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2018, the CoE program will assist the maritime industry in gaining and sustaining a well-trained labor force while enhancing diversity and inclusion in the industry.

“The CoE designations recognize the high standard of maritime education and training provided by the designated community and technical colleges and maritime training centers. These institutions play vital roles in our nation’s maritime industry by providing the training and skills students need to begin and advance careers afloat and ashore,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley.

The Alaska Maritime Education Consortium’s CoE includes six academic institutions: 
•    Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC), Seward, AK; 
•    University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bristol Bay Campus, Dillingham, AK; 
•    University of Alaska Anchorage, Kodiak College, Kodiak, AK;
•    University of Alaska Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula College at Kachemak Bay Campus, Homer, AK; 
•    University of Alaska Anchorage, Prince William Sound College, Valdez, AK, and 
•    University of Alaska Southeast at Ketchikan, Ketchikan, AK. 

AMEC Action Agenda

In preparation for its application to be designated as a CoE, AMEC developed a five-year Action Agenda as a follow-up to the 2014 Alaska Maritime Workforce Plan. It includes a brief summary of the Plan’s goals and strategies, the utilization of labor market information to review and update the maritime priority occupations, activities and outcomes since the Plan was published, and specific AMEC projects to strengthen training and employment.

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Contact AMEC

Johnny Provost (interim)

Division Operations Manager
johnny.provost@avtec.edu

Teri Cothren

UA Associate Vice President for Workforce Development
tgcothren@alaska.edu

Mariko Selle

Maritime Works Director, Alaska Workforce Alliance
mari@alaskasafetyalliance.org