The Great Lakes Boat Building School in Cedarville, MI, is growing explosively and bringing the entire community along with it. Since its opening in 2005, the demand for highly skilled marine technicians to operate and maintain the technological components of boats has increased. With the Great Lakes Boat Building School growing to meet that demand, experts say the expansion could bring an additional $2.5 million to residents of Cedarville.
Originally starting as a school mainly for hobbyists, the school has since added two programs—marine service technology and marine electronics technology—and received certification from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges that it met academic standards that allows it to offer scholarships. Now, for the first time this year, the school’s boat building and marine service technology programs waitlisted applicants. To accommodate the increased applicant pool, the nonprofit school plans to construct an additional facility with a recent $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Currently, the boat school enrolls about 25 students annually with enrollment expected to double with the expansion. Read more here.
