San Jacinto College opens campus along Port of Houston exclusively for maritime training
View and download photos of the San Jacinto College Maritime Campus Grand Opening here and here. Watch a video, produced by the Pasadena Channel, about the San Jacinto College maritime program here.
With the cut of a ribbon and ring of a bell, San Jacinto College marked the grand opening of the new Maritime Technology and Training Center on the Maritime Campus on March 8, 2016.
The Center is located next to a turning basin along the Port of Houston at 3700 Old Highway 146 in La Porte, Texas – the ideal location for students training to enter the maritime industry, and for current mariners upgrading their U.S. Coast Guard certifications.
“This is what we have envisioned for many years,” said Dr. Brenda Hellyer, San Jacinto College Chancellor. “The Maritime Technology and Training Center on our new Maritime Campus is our response to the region’s growing needs surrounding the Port of Houston and the industries impacted by its activity each day. It has been many years in the making, but it is finally here, and we are excited to begin training the next generation of maritime workers right here along the Gulf Coast.”
The grand opening featured remarks from The Honorable Gene Green, U.S. Representative for Texas’ 29th Congressional District; The Honorable Brian Babin, U.S. Representative for Texas’ 36th Congressional District; The Honorable Larry Taylor, State Senator, Texas Senate District 11; and The Honorable Dennis Paul, State Representative, Texas House District 129. Mr. Jay Guerrero, Regional Director for Southeast Texas, representing The Honorable John Cornyn, U.S. Senator, presented a congratulatory certificate to the College.
In addition, a flag raising ceremony was held, with a U.S. flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol on the first day of classes held at the Center. The flag was donated by Congressman Babin. The event culminated with a christening ceremony, ribbon cutting, and the ringing of the bell, opening the doors to the Center for tours.
Texas ranks third in the nation, with Houston ranking second, for all domestic maritime industry jobs, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers Study released by the American Maritime Partnership. However, more than half of the industry’s workforce is reaching retirement age. This is why San Jacinto College began offering its maritime training in 2010, which led to the creation of the Maritime Technology and Training Center. (More …)
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