Trade Fair Spotlights Maritime Careers

Opportunities for maritime careers in the Bay Area may be slowly diminishing, but apparently that’s not true everywhere on the West Coast. Need for marine industry employees in the Northwest has prompted the Northwest Marine Trade Association to host a free Marine Career Fair at the Seattle Boat Show on February 1, during which 25 local marine-related businesses will attempt to fill more than 75 full-time positions as well as many seasonal jobs. 

According the NMTA, the Northwest has experienced its fourth year in a row with year-over-year increases in new boat sales, and the trend has trickled down to related businesses such as yacht outfitters, boat builders and boat yards. According to a recent NMTA release, "The immediate openings are for all facets of business such as sales, customer service, administration, some seasonal, but most of the need and open positions are for skilled marine technicians, experienced mechanics and skilled laborers (fiberglass work and repair, welding, glazing, rigging, painting)."

Even more eye-opening is the statement that the average annual salary before benefits of maritime industry employees in Washington state is $70,800. That’s more than $20k higher than the average wage statewide.

For a complete list of participating companies, see this link. Make note that the fair is only open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on February 1 only, and precedes the normal opening of the show that day (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.). As an added incentive, fair attendees will get free admission to the show that day.  

Now celebrating its 69th year, the Seattle Show is one of the premier events of its type on the West Coast. Latitude 38 staffers have been presenting seminars there for years on the Baja Ha-Ha and Pacific Puddle Jump rallies. This year our programs will be presented at the same time on both January 30 and 31: BHH at noon, and PPJ at 1 p.m. You’ll find a complete list of all 200 free seminars here. We hope to see you there.