When 18-year-old Blaise Edwards’s mom stopped by the Port Annapolis booth at the Annapolis Powerboat Show, she picked up a card and handed it to him, saying he should call to see if they needed anyone. His phone call led to on-the-job marine trades training starting in April 2024 and full-time employment by the end of the summer. Here’s what he told PropTalk:
Did you have any skills going into it, or did they teach you everything?
I had some skills just from growing up sailing and powerboating, but other than that, they taught me most of the mechanical parts and professional side of how to fix things.
Who was your mentor, or were there a few of them?
My manager is Richard Krolak. At Port Annapolis, we have a bunch of service people in different departments—rigging, engines, systems, and paint. They rotated me through the departments (except for paint) based on what person needed extra hands. At the start, I was just following people around and listening; now I’ve been doing more by myself, and they check my work at the end.
Can you list some specific jobs you did?
I learned how to replace a new bilge pump, cutting the wires and slpicing them back in… We stepped a mast and took it out of a boat, removed a sail and stowed it (or sent it off to be fixed) for winter storage. I have been working with the lift crew hauling out boats.
What is your job now, and what do you hope to do there in the future?
I work where I’m needed because they’re trying to build my experience in all departments. I enjoy the rigging and lift crew. I like cranes and big machines; it’s really cool to see those big boats getting lifted up.
What would you recommend to young people considering marine trades work?
Make sure that you’re dedicated, because sometimes it feels like busy work and doing things over and over again. You have to do that and stay dedicated to get bigger jobs in the future. You might not get every job, so apply to a bunch.
Learn about on-the-job training through the Marine Trades Association of Maryland at mtam.org/careers.
For more on-the-job training success stories, check out our article on the Riverside Marine Apprentice Program.