STUART, Fla. — For more than 50 years, people have come from all across the world to learn at a school tucked away in the Treasure Coast.
We met up with a few kids who aren't old enough to legally drive a car, but they're old enough to get a crash course in boating safety.
Joey Griffith spends a lot of time on the water, but said he's constantly learning something new in the camp.
"Like things and rules like you have to stay on the right side of the marker," Griffith said.
This summer, the Chapman School of Seamanship in Stuart has been offering week-long camps, tying in classroom curriculum with hands-on courses.
The camp also aims to expose students to maritime jobs, which is a more than $31 billion industry on the Treasure Coast, according to the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast, Inc.
"[We are here] to be able to provide, not only the safety we talked about earlier, which is extremely important, but to provide an access point for some of these people to go in and develop a career, " said John Haggerty, the program director at Chapman.
Earlier this summer, the Maritime Administration, which falls under the federal government, warned that the shortage of merchant marine personnel continues to pose a national security concern.
The Chapman School uses these camps as an opportunity to introduce students to the U.S. Coast Guard, which is also struggling with recruitment and retention.
Matt McKenzie is retired from the U.S. Coast Guard. He currently works at the Chapman School of Seamanship as a boat instructor.
"I had no direction when I was 18. So it gave me a good job that I was proud to do and help a lot of people and helped me, too. So it's a really good career," McKenzie said.
Some of the kids said they're thinking about a career on the water. This camp gives them a firm grip to steer their own future.
