Yes, there is a maritime high school just opened in Seattle
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What happened to the old one?
Based on what I read in the article, they want the curriculum to be as “diverse” as possible, to serve as much of the maritime industry as possible. Having taught in a maritime school for 11 years, been in the industry for 45 plus, 38 as a licensed mariner, they need to focus on the local industries that school geographically serves, and produce a graduate that has a firm foundation of eduction, so that specific industry can rely on for productivity. An education that is to watered down will frustrate the student, feeling ill-prepared and lost and employees having to release them for lack of productivity. Work Ethic, accountability, curriculum specific for either the tug industry, fishing, mariner operations, small vessel repair, what ever they decide, keep it specific, focused and to the point.
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The Seattle/Puget Sound area is actually fairly well established in all of those parts of the industry - towing, fishing, deep sea, shipyards, yachts, ferries are all represented. About the only thing that doesn’t happen out here is oil patch type of work.
At this level though, I think it’s better to expose them to a bunch of different things to keep the spark alive. There’s plenty of time to show more specific interest after graduation whether that’s direct into work, or to an academy (four year or otherwise).
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All valid points you bring up for sure, I did live in the Seattle area for 7 years when I worked for CROWLEY, so understand your point. Having worked and taught at a marine 2 year degree program for youth just getting out of high school, my experience says stay focused on an industry, work towards that license and accreditations.