MITAGS-CCMIT Hosts Second Annual BWI Summer Youth Initiative

The Second Annual Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Summer Youth Initiative was held last week for fifty youth from the Baltimore City area. The event, now in its second year, provides inner city youth the opportunity to learn about careers in aviation and transportation, including maritime transportation.

Participants accessed the program from five Baltimore City recreational centers and spent the week learning about airport and seaport operations including cargo and traffic management, personnel management, security and maintenance issues, and transportation logistics. Representatives from all branches of the U.S. military were on hand as well as industrial engineers from local businesses.  

Part of the orientation included a full day at the Maritime Institute of Technology & Graduate Studies (MITAGS), where students were introduced to port operations and the importance and diversity of ships and cargo calling at the Port of Baltimore. They witnessed how professional mariners are trained by visiting two of the Institute’s full-mission training simulators and experiencing what it’s like to steer a ship in a busy harbor or serve as a crew member onboard a tugboat or barge. 

“Introducing these young boys and girls to the thrill of shipping as well as the excitement of port operations like those at the Port of Baltimore is a unique opportunity for them to think about and form plans for their own future careers,” said Glen Paine, Executive Director of MITAGS-PMI and the Conference Center at the Maritime Institute (CCMIT). “By seeing the critical role shipping plays in our economy, we hope they will consider a career in the maritime industry.”    

While visiting MITAGS the students were also introduced to opportunities in the hospitality industry at the Conference Center at the Maritime Institute, a hotel and meeting complex that hosts seminars and conferences for both maritime and non-maritime organizations.

MITAGS-PMI is a nonprofit vocational training center for individuals seeking to enter the maritime profession and for professional mariners seeking to advance their careers. With campuses in Baltimore and Seattle, it is the leader in maritime training, pilot licensing, ship simulation and operational research, providing customized courses for both individual companies and members of the IOMMP.

It also operates the Conference Center at the Maritime Institute (CCMIT), a world-class meeting facility for both maritime and non-maritime organizations. To learn more, visit www.mitags-pmi.org or www.ccmit.com.