The nextseas initiative is a four-year effort to address the U.S. Shipbuilding industry?s acute shortage of skilled workers, estimated at more than 300,000, through an international fellowship and…

The Department of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs awarded a $29 million Cooperative Agreement to Massachusetts Maritime Academy on December 31, 2025, under the International Labor Programs (CFDA 17.401) to implement the NextSEAS Initiative, a four-year international fellowship and training pipeline addressing the U.S. shipbuilding industry's skilled-worker shortage estimated at more than 300,000.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy serves as prime applicant overseeing project management, fellowship selection, and curriculum dissemination across U.S. training institutions. The initiative operates through four phases: benchmarking and curriculum development; train-the-trainer implementation; fellowships and living lab training in Finland; and U.S. transfer, accreditation, and nationwide expansion. Sub-recipients deliver specialized components: SAMK leads train-the-trainer model design and contributes modules in engineering, robotics, automation, and arctic maritime management; Winnova delivers vocational training in welding, CNC, and fabrication; RMC provides a live shipyard environment for immersive fellowships; and Bollinger Shipyards anchors U.S. integration by validating curricula, hosting bootcamps, and establishing wage progression and long-term career pathways for graduates.

Expected outcomes include creation of an internationally recognized shipbuilding curriculum, training of U.S. educators and workers in high-demand trades, and establishment of durable workforce pipelines embedded in U.S. community colleges and shipyards. Sustainability mechanisms include accreditation, institutional adoption, industry cost-share, and integration into U.S. apprenticeship systems.

Performance period runs through December 31, 2029, with place of performance in Finland.

The nextseas initiative is a four-year effort to address the U.S. Shipbuilding industry?s acute shortage of skilled workers, estimated at more than 300,000, through an international fellowship and training pipeline that blends advanced european expertise with U.S. Industry adoption. As prime applicant, massachusetts maritime academy will oversee project management, fellowship selection, and the dissemination of curricula across U.S. Training institutions. Samk will lead the design of a train-the-trainer model and contribute specialized modules in engineering, robotics, automation, and arctic maritime management. Winnova will deliver vocational training in welding, CNC, and fabrication, while RMC provides a live shipyard environment for immersive fellowships. Bollinger shipyards will anchor U.S. Integration by validating curricula, hosting bootcamps, and retaining graduates through wage progression and long-term career pathways. The project will advance in four phases: (1) benchmarking and curriculum development; (2) train-the-trainer implementation; (3) fellowships and living lab training in finland; and (4) U.S. Transfer, accreditation, and nationwide expansion. Expected outcomes include the creation of an internationally recognized shipbuilding curriculum, training of U.S. Educators and workers 1 in high-demand trades, and the establishment of durable workforce pipelines embedded in U.S. Community colleges and shipyards. Sustainability will be achieved through accreditation, institutional adoption, industry cost-share, and integration into U.S. Apprenticeship systems. By leveraging global best practices and embedding them in U.S. Institutions and shipyards, nextseas will revitalize domestic manufacturing capacity, expand career opportunities for american workers, and secure the long-term competitiveness and resilience of the U.S. Shipbuilding sector. Purpose the proposed program directly addresses the urgent shortage of skilled shipbuilding workers in the united states?estimated at up to 300,000 employees?by leveraging proven international expertise, academic leadership, and hands-on industrial training capacity. Our objective is to create a scalable international fellowship and training pipeline that equips U.S. Workers with the advanced skills required to sustain shipbuilding competitiveness and national security. Project outcomes ? Creation of a sustainable international fellowship and training program rooted in real-world shipyard practices. ? Development of a globally benchmarked curriculum recognized across the U.S. Shipbuilding industry. ? Establishment of career pipelines for up to 300,000 U.S. Shipbuilding workers across critical trades (welding, steelwork, shipwrights, electricians, etc.). ? Strengthened U.S. - european industrial partnerships under the ICE pact and beyond, fostering innovation, skills transfer, and maritime workforce resilience. 2 ? Validated training framework, competency-based, evidence-driven, globally relevant. ? Agile curriculum modules, adaptable for vocational schools, academies, industry, and veterans? ? Programs. ? Veteran integration pathway, clear route from service to shipyard careers. ? Sustainable transatlantic partnership, ongoing collaboration between shipyards, educators, and workforce systems. Project activities the project will be implemented in four activity phases following a train-the-trainer model: ? Curriculum development ? Samk and winnova CO-develop internationally recognized training curricula. ? Immersion abroad ? U.S. Fellows receive practical training at RMC and winnova. ? Domestic dissemination ? MMA and partner institutions deliver training across the U.S. Using a standardized, scalable model. ? Workforce retention ? Bollinger integrates fellowship graduates, while other U.S. Shipyards and institutions adopt the framework to expand capacity nationwide. Funding request the total funding LE