Students take Medical Emergencies at Sea class to prep for maritime industry careers

CPR certification and understanding of first aid skills are important for everyone and The Polytech took that one step further by placing their students in a Medical Emergencies at Sea class. The hands-on class in Fisherman’s Terminal was designed for those working on a commercial fishing vessel who might experience injuries or medical emergencies while at sea where there is no access to an emergency room or medical care for hours or even days.

The Polytech students were part of the Youth Maritime Career Launch (YMCL) program, a collaboration between the Port of Seattle and The Polytech to train young adults ages 16-24 for maritime industry careers and then place them in 3-month paid internships with ongoing mentoring and support. The Polytech has structured the internships to fill open entry level positions in hopes that the student may continue forward as a regular employee at the end of the 3-month internship if the placement has been a good fit.

The Polytech offered medical training to give students real world experience, placing them side-by-side with commercial fishing vessel employees who had been sent by their company as part of their employment contract. “Our students got such a confidence boost by seeing themselves able to keep pace with adults already working within the maritime industry,” said Ruth Wilson, one of the founders of The Polytech and administrator of the YMCL program.

Students understood the relevancy of the training from the very first hour and enthusiastically recommended the teacher, who was knowledgeable about how to apply what she taught to real life situations. One commented, “This was more like a field trip than a class.”

The first aid class caters specifically to the commercial fishing industry and was offered by North Pacific Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association (NPFVOA), an organization offering hands-on training since 1985. After receiving such strong positive feedback, The Polytech will send students to additional classes at NPFVOA, including Basic Firefighting and Personal Survival Techniques. They also place students in community college classes for skills such as forklift driving, welding, and construction skills.

For more information about the Youth Maritime Career Launch program at The Polytech, attend an information session offered every Thursday from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm. Register to attend online or in person at their Northgate office or in Federal Way at https://maritime.thepolytech.com. Owners and recruiters at maritime industry businesses who are interested in hosting a YMCL intern are also encouraged to contact The Polytech to discuss this option.

About The Polytech

The Polytech is a private high school that connects high school to a career pathway, enabling students to earn college credits, industry certificates, and a high school diploma all at the same time. We continue working with our students through age 26 to support the transition to college, career and adulthood. For more information, visit https://thepolytech.com.