Maritime High School is making waves and putting out flames. Students suited up in firefighting gear and extinguished simulated fires during their Basic Safety Training.
The firefighting drill is part of a Basic Safety Training course through a partnership with Seattle Maritime Academy. It's an immersive experience available to students who opt for the Vessel Operations, Design and Maintenance pathway, one of the two pathways students can currently choose during their 11th-grade year. This kind of practical, hands-on experience is what learning looks like at Maritime High School.
Maritime High School opened its doors in September 2021, offering a blend of project-based and career-oriented learning in various maritime fields. Subjects include engineering, architecture, mechanics and marine science. Some days, the classroom is the Admiral Jack, a twin-hulled, 49-passenger foot ferry, where students are the crew.
Vessel Operations students have the opportunity to enroll in Seattle Maritime Academy's Marine Engineering Technology Program, where they will master a range of real-world skills, including marine electrical systems, diesel mechanics, industrial safety, and technical mathematics. They obtain their Transportation Worker Identification Card and Merchant Mariner Credential, credentials that open doors to many career opportunities.
Alternatively, students can opt into the Marine Resources and Research pathway, delving into the physical, chemical, geological and biological aspects of the marine environment. The program includes practical skills such as seamanship, navigation, marine safety, marine biology and oceanography. Students engage in hands-on fisheries management and aquaculture studies, develop and fabricate underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and learn about the local ocean and marine ecosystems to develop a foundation for college studies and employment in the industry.
A Marine Construction and Engineering track is currently being developed, which will offer students a third pathway.
Why choose Maritime High School, and why now? Abundant opportunity.
The Maritime industry is the third biggest driver in our state's economy. There’s projected to be a significant shortage of mariners by 2025. Maritime High School is addressing the workforce gap by training today’s students for well-paid, meaningful and lasting careers.
Maritime High School is open to all students interested in Maritime studies, whether they live in Highline Public Schools boundaries or not. Students eager to set sail on a maritime education can apply through the school's website and set their course toward a future as bright as the flames they've learned to fight.
Learning on and about the sea is just one of many options open to Highline students. From aerospace exploration at Raisbeck Aviation High School to virtual learning at Highline Virtual Academy, or a more traditional route at your neighborhood school—students and families have choices.
The application window for Maritime and other schools of choice for the 2024-25 school year is now open and closes on January 31, 2024, at 11:00 p.m.
