Inland Rivers, Ports, and Terminals Inc.
10/16/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/16/2024 16:10
Career Fair Teaches Local Students About Opportunities in Maritime Industry
ALTON - Local schools gathered at the National Great Rivers Museum to learn more about career opportunities in the maritime industry.
"We Work the Waterways" is a national education outreach program through the trade association Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals, Inc. (IRPT). On Oct. 16, 2024, the program offered a hands-on Industry Interaction Day for 200 local students in Alton.
"We have members of the maritime community, organizations and companies, here to engage with students and educate them about career opportunities in the maritime shipping and logistics industry," explained Errin Howard, director of "We Work the Waterways." "Our company exhibitors are making connections with each other, but they're also making connections with students and the educators who are here. It's all about the connections that are being made today."
The National Great Rivers Museum welcomed students from Southwestern High School, Jersey Community High School, Clyde C. Miller Career Academy, Sumner High School, Gateway STEM High School, Granite City High School and Roosevelt High School.
Students could stop by several stations and speak to different companies and organizations, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They learned about what each organization does, and they could ask questions about different jobs within the maritime industry.
Aimee Andres, executive director of IRPT, noted that there are a lot of career opportunities that people might not be aware of. She said the industry "likes to hide what we do so that we're not intrusive in our communities."
But as a result, a lot of students don't realize they can work on the rivers. The goal of the "We Work the Waterways" program is to expose them to these jobs.
Many of these careers provide on-the-job training and impressive salaries, Andres added. She hopes the "We Work the Waterways" event encourages students to think about pursuing careers in the maritime industry.
"It's making a huge impact for our high schoolers," she said. "The fact is that, yeah, we want to encourage higher education, but not everybody is suited for higher education. Our excavator station with terminal operators, that doesn't require higher education, but they can come out of that making six figures. It's crazy. It takes all levels, from no experience, little education, to presidents, CEOs, masters degrees. We need them all."
The "We Work the Waterways" program sponsors Industry Interaction Days around the country. Last year, the program hosted 24 of these events along the Mississippi River.
Alton Mayor David Goins was excited to welcome "We Work the Waterways" back to Alton. As he spoke with students and industry leaders, he expressed his appreciation for the program and the chance to expose local students to new opportunities.
"Having the river in your backyard is one of the great benefits of being in a river town," Goins said. "I think it's a wonderful opportunity for the kids to learn about the job opportunities, the career opportunities that the Mississippi River offers. Being the mayor of a river town and being a part of a group of mayors on the Mississippi River, it's refreshing to see this and to provide children with another option or another alternative to seeking a future career, to make good money without having to go to college."
"We Work the Waterways" relies on donations to present Industry Interaction Days across the U.S. For more information about the program, visit IRPT.net/www-home.