People make and build things all the time. Students learn these skills. This is how we grow the trades! A trade is a skill that makes the world better like electrician, welder, carpenter, machinist, plumber, etc. The trades are important because they help build everything we use every day. Like most careers, the trades require training, passion, and hard work to do their jobs well. This means they learn special skills and practice regularly to become very good at what they do.

Many, many people work together to build the most important things in our country. To build things like aircraft carriers and submarines, everyone must play their part. This work is some of the most important work to protect American freedoms.

Quality matters when people work together because it ensures everything is safe and works perfectly when needed. Skilled tradespeople are very important for making our world a better place.

During Maritime Mania, we get to see that we have the skills and abilities to improve the world in these ways. When people work together to build things, they learn a vocabulary, different techniques, and when to apply those techniques. They practice each technique and check their work throughout the progress. At the end of the day, we think you will find satisfaction in your work because it impacts our world. Your work makes a difference!

As Seen on TV!

This year's Multi-Agency Craft Conference occurred during Maritime Mania. Thanks to Mayor Shannon Glover, STARBASE leadership, and Marketing Lead Courtney Culpepper media documented how these events supported each other.

Maritime Mania Adventures

	Activities	Field Trip
Day 1	Pre-test Float a brick on foam raft Build a cardboard boat	USNA Admissions Visit USCGC Frank Drew (WLM-557)
Day 2	Build many more cardboard boats Draw a boat Discuss why quality matters Make a wall using wood & glue	Beach Marine (small business refurbishing 7m-11m RHIBs)
Day 3	Complete Hull & Stern Create Bow from cardboard, then wood Present Build Closing: Build 2 Sides	Ghost Works Visit In-Water Demos at Multi-Agency Craft Conference
Day 4	Complete first Bow/Boat Collaborate on final Bow/Stern Design Work on Second Boat (2nd Shift: Epoxy Boats)	Exhibit Hall at Multi-Agency Craft Conference
Day 5	Complete second boat In-water testing Celebration	USCG CAPT Kathryn "Kat" Wijnaldum Crofton Diving removes 80-foot barge

 

Structuring Work Like a Trade

Students learned vocabulary and techniques. We show students that language isn't a barrier, it's just one easy thing to learn. Techniques are not magical, they take practice and then quickly become a shorthand way to describe work with a team.

Interestingly, the pre-camp survey showed that working together was a motivating factor for students. During the work, it took active engagement by the educators to keep groups engaged with each other because students did not naturally have ways to express their challenges and solutions. Instructors emphasized ways to draw possible solutions. In addition, we helped students become better describers and more patient listeners. By leveraging multiple communication modes, we helped teams work more closely together.

We also created "Second Shift Sheets" for students to describe the work they needed another shift to accomplish. We wanted to emphasize how impactful it is for shifts to support each other. It's great to come back to your work and find it in a better place.

 

Teaching Techniques

We wanted to formalize the boat construction so that students felt the authenticity and lowered the barriers they expect in doing this type of work.

 

Photo Album