IYRS Marine Industry Career Day Will Draw Industry Experts and Employers

Free Event Will Give Career Seekers Valuable Information about Trends in Hiring and Technology

Newport (R.I.) February 10, 2011 — The Sixth Annual Marine Industry Career Day, which will be held on Saturday, March 5, at the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport, will draw marine industry experts and employers who are all coming to IYRS with one goal in mind: to connect with individuals interested in marine careers. This one-day event will give career seekers an opportunity to talk with employers and gather information about hiring trends and technology that will give them an edge in the job marketplace.

“The marine industry is a dynamic business right now, as companies plan for new production and workforce demands as they pull away from the recession,” says Susan Daly, IYRS Vice President of Programming. “We invited a wide variety of companies this year, as well as speakers who have their finger of the pulse of the industry to educate marine professionals, job seekers, and those considering marine careers in the future.”

Career Day, which is free to members of the public, will take place on March 5 from 10 am to 1 pm at IYRS Restoration Hall at 449 Thames Street in Newport. The event will draw companies from throughout the Eastern Seaboard, many of whom are looking to meet qualified job candidates. Career Day also features an educational element, and three presentations will be held according to the following schedule:
 
10:30 am – “State of the Marine Industry: Jobs, Trends & Technology” / Neal Harrell, Brooks Marine Group

11:30 am – “Funding Your Education” / Debra Huntington, IYRS

12:30 pm – “Career Opportunities in the Advanced Composites Industry” / Rich O’Meara, Core Composites
 
Any individual who wants to learn about the composites industry and its career opportunities will not want to miss the event’s featured presentation by Rich O’Meara, owner and president of Core Composites of Newport. O’Meara will give attendees an overview of the role that composites play in our world today, and the wealth of career opportunities born of their use. 

Industries that manufacture structures that need to be light in weight yet strong, durable, and corrosion resistant use composites—including the marine industry, the alternative energy field of wind power, the automotive and aerospace industries, and even the construction field. The industry also has a green component, as this type of construction allows industries to reduce the mass of materials and natural resources used to build structures.

“Advanced composites are the future for anything that rolls, floats, or flies,” says O’Meara. “They are also  valuable in building stationary objects and will play a role in the future of the construction trades…Individuals who attend my talk at Career Day will learn that there are great opportunities in this growing market and industry, an industry that can help clean up the globe while improving the world’s structures.”

As founder of a marine industry management recruitment firm, Career Day presenter Neal Harrell of Brooks Marine Group is among the first people in the industry to see the evidence of hiring trends.

“In 2010, we saw a hot and cold trend in hiring,” says Harrell. “There were spikes of activity, then dips. It was a roller coaster pattern, but nothing consistent. But in the fourth quarter of 2010, we started to see quite an uptick on the hiring front. That has carried over into 2011, and right now, what I see is an all-out war for talent.”

In his talk, Harrell, whose firm is based in Newport, will help attendees understand the landscape of the marine business: the hiring trends, the sectors of the industry that are quickest and slowest to rebound, how demographics are impacting the workforce, and how emerging technology—especially social media—is changing the way companies are hiring. Although hiring activity has picked up dramatically, Harrell cautions that marine companies are hiring smart and carefully; in his talk, he will help job seekers understand how to distinguish themselves in the marketplace.

For individuals who need further training to build their marine careers there are funds available to help pay for programs at accredited institutions. Debra Huntington, IYRS academic coordinator, will give seminar attendees information on funding sources—including student aid and federal programs such as Pell Grants and Stafford loans—in her talk at 11:30.

About IYRS
IYRS offers technical training for individuals interested in working in the marine industry and related fields, with three full-time programs and an extensive menu of Continuing Education courses. The school maintains two campuses in Rhode Island, in Newport and Bristol. Each locale is uniquely suited to the programs offered there. The waterfront campus in Newport is home to the full-time Boatbuilding & Restoration program; this campus includes two historic buildings from 1831 and 1903 and is the site of notable historic restorations, including the restoration of the rare 1885 schooner yacht Coronet. The Bristol teaching facility is home to the Marine Systems and Composites Technology programs; the facility is located at the Franklin Street Marine Corridor, a recently developed industrial/educational complex where students mix with marine-industry companies.

For more information on the Sixth Annual Marine Industry Career Day on March 5, including a list of companies attending the event, visit www.iyrs.org or contact Clark Poston (clark@iyrs.org / 401-848-5777, ext. 210).