Mass Maritime partners up for shipbuilding workforce development project

There’s a strong Finnish component to how Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) will use the $5.8 million shipbuilding workforce development grant it was recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The academy will partner with Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) in Rauma, Finland, to develop an international shipbuilding fellowship. Additional shipbuilding workforce development project consortium partners include Bollinger Shipyards and Finland’s Länsirannikon Koulutus Oy WinNova (WinNova) and Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) — which is partnering with Bollinger to build USCG Arctic Security Cutter icebreakers.

The project, called NEXTSEAS (Next Era Xceptional Technology for Shipbuilding and Education in Americas’ Seas), is a four-year effort to address the scarcity of skilled workers in the U.S. shipbuilding sector – estimated at more than 300,000 – through an international fellowship and training pipeline that blends advanced European expertise with U.S. industry adoption.

The four-year initiative includes curriculum development, a train-the trainer model, and immersive fellowships in Finland, with expected outcomes that include the establishment of a globally recognized shipbuilding curriculum at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and subsequent career pathways in the shipbuilding industry for U.S. workers.

As the prime grant applicant, Massachusetts Maritime Academy will oversee project management, fellowship selection, and the dissemination of curricula across U.S. training institutions. SAMK will lead the design of a Train-the-Trainer model and contribute specialized modules in engineering, robotics, automation, and Arctic maritime management. WinNova, a vocational training institution based in Finland, will play a key role in curriculum development and delivery, while Finnish shipbuilding company Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) will provide a live shipyard environment for immersive fellowships. Bollinger Shipyards, based in Lockport, Louisiana, will validate curricula, host bootcamps, and ultimately retain project graduates for long-term career pathways in the shipbuilding sector.

“Satakunta University of Applied Sciences is pleased to coordinate the NEXTSEAS project activities in Finland, with a particular focus on Living Lab-based development and applied collaboration,” said Minna Keinänen-Toivola, chief researcher, and coordinator of Team Finland at NEXTSEAS. “Through real-life operational environments, pilot cases, and hands-on training, SAMK will support skills development, knowledge transfer, and workforce renewal in the shipbuilding sector. NEXTSEAS provides a strong platform for transatlantic cooperation, enabling practical learning, iinnovation, and long-term impact on workforce resilience and sustainable industrial competitiveness.”

“WinNova will design an excellent curriculum for new shipbuilders together with our NEXTSEAS partners. The focus is on welding, machining, electrical work, loading tasks, and safety,” added Teija Tiirikka, director of education for WinNova.

Sami Sohlberg, vice president, governmental vssels, at Rauma Marine Constructions, said the company “is proud to contribute our live shipyard environment and Arctic shipbuilding expertise to the NEXTSEAS program, helping build a sustainable workforce pipeline for the U.S. shipbuilding industry. This grant enables concrete skills transfer through hands-on training, fellowships, and close transatlantic collaboration with industry and academic partners. NEXTSEAS demonstrates how international cooperation can deliver long-termimpact for workforce resilience and industrial competitiveness.”

“Bollinger Shipyards is proud to join the U.S. Department of Labor and our industry and academic partners in NEXTSEAS to strengthen the workforce pipeline that America’s shipyards and maritime services depend on,” said Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “This program is built for practical impact, pairing hands-on fellowships and proven training approaches with U.S.-based bootcamps, on-the-job learning, and a clear path for wage progression and long-term careers to develop the next generation of skilled American shipbuilders. NEXTSEAS is the kind of allied, outcomes-driven collaboration that grows the entire industrial base and helps ensure we have the talent ready to deliver for our nation’s security.”

“NEXTSEAS is much more than a workforce program; it’s an investment in the future of maritime leadership in this country,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “By uniting U.S. talent with Finnish innovation, we are building the foundation for a new era of shipbuilding – one defined by advanced technology, global collaboration, and opportunity for generations to come.”