Professional BoatBuilder - April-May 2018

(Ann) #1
76 Professional BoatBuilder

PARTING
SHOT

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t some point in everyone’s career
they stand back and think about
where they came from and where they
are going. The looking-forward part
most often includes training or educa-
tion to advance in the current job or to
learn skills for a different career path.
Education and job certifications are as
unique as every individual, and are
often transferable from one trade to
another. When I look back at my own
working life, I am amazed at how the
training and certifications from my
earlier careers set me up to be success-
ful in the job I have now. Who knew
that as a professional firefighter I
would learn skills I now use in a boat-
yard? I had no idea along the way that
I would be where I am now, so I can’t
take much credit for making con-
scious, deliberate decisions. Upon
reflection, it’s clear that what got me
here was eagerness to learn everything
I could and an interest in trying new
things. The rest was fate.
As a custom boatbuilder and boat-
yard owner I wear many hats, the most
important of which is keeping myself
and my employees trained and up to
date on changes in our industry. Many
of the crew we hire have some certifi-
cations, but most often we select peo-
ple who have a real interest in boating
and an aptitude for learning. In our
corner of Maine, experienced employ-
ees are hard to come by, so in-house
on-the-job training is the norm. But
this approach can take an employee
only so far. At some point, someone
growing in the profession will need
advanced training from outside our
yard.
Like most of the nation, Maine has
no effective formal marine-trades-
apprenticeship program, though I
appreciate various efforts under way

to create one. While we have some
really great schools for boatbuilding
and marine trades in our area, it’s not
practical to take employees out of the
workplace for the long stretches of time
their programs demand. So our default
for training is the American Boat &
Yacht Council (ABYC). I disagree with
some criticism the organization has
had recently in these pages (see the
Parting Shot “Uncertain About Certifi-
cation,” in Professional BoatBuilder No.
170). I see ABYC as essential baseline
training for both the standards we use
in boat building and repair and the
minimum education my employees
need to be successful in their careers.
The cost is affordable, and the time
away to train and test is manageable.
It is the only option we have at the
moment, and it works very well for my
crew. From my perspective, when I hire
people with ABYC certifications, I
know they have the basics down, and
for the rest of their skills I’ll look else-
where in their résumés.
Here’s a message for prospective
employees: Don’t be put off if you don’t
have experience. Most people in this
industry fall into it because they love
boats. Their backgrounds and formal
education often have little to do with
the jobs they hold. You don’t need to be
certified or have schooling to get hired,
though it certainly helps. Most of the
boatbuilders and yard crew I know are
valuable because their skills are not
highly specialized. They are well
rounded and can do more than one
thing, be it woodwork, fiberglass, wir-
ing, onboard systems, or sometimes
just being organized. If you think you
want a career in boats, then get started.
Gain experience. Then, once you have
mastered your position in your com-
pany, get some training outside and

better yourself. Read this magazine,
and take an ABYC course that interests
you. One great thing about knowledge
is that no one can take it away from
you. You take it with you through life
as well as from job to job. Enjoy your
career and learn what you can every
d ay.
When the time comes that you are
dissatisfied with the training available
to you, look to improve it. Become the
teacher. Pass your experience and wis-
dom on to those around you and the
generations moving up. There is a
whole side career in teaching. Think of
Steve D’Antonio, Nigel Calder, and
Roger Hellyar-Brook—the guys mov-
ing our industry forward by teaching.
Give back to the industry that has sup-
ported you. It is easy to point a finger
at ABYC or a trade school and say they
are not up to par. It is another thing to
step up and be the teacher, but the fact
is everyone needs people with experi-
ence to learn from.
We all have the opportunity to grow
and learn in our lives and in our
careers. Some people actively advance
their careers, and some are content
with the status quo, but it is nearly
impossible to go through life and hold
down a job without picking up valuable
skills or information that stays with
you. The rewarding path is to learn
something new every day, and then to
share what you know with others. It
keeps your mind engaged and gives
you more than a couple of reasons to be
glad to get up in the morning.

About the Author: Leon MacCorkle has
been in love with all things boating since
his first job as a boatbuilder at age 14.
His career has come full circle, as he now
owns Padebco Custom Boat Builders
and Boatyard in Round Pond, Maine.

What’s Certain About Training Is You


by Leon MacCorkle


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