The inaugural cohort of the Bishop State All Hands on Deck Maritime Boot Camp has successfully completed their eight-week program. The completion ceremony took place at Bishop State's Southwest Campus on August 11, 2026.
“With this program, we treated it as if they were actually working in the workforce. They clocked in and out and pay was docked if they were late or missed a day,” Dean Akareem Spears said. “For this group, we had 302 certifications, a 93% completion rate, a 91% pass rate on certifications, and they will all leave today with a job from our 16 industry partners.”
Students earned certifications including OSHA 10, NC3 Certification in Precision & Tape Measurement, non-destructive testing certifications, and digital literacy certifications. Participants earned a total of 10 industry-recognized certifications through the program.
The All Hands on Deck Maritime Boot Camp is a partnership between Bishop State, Build Giants Alabama, Workforce Alabama, and the Southwest Alabama Partnership for Training and Employment (SWAPTE).
“Without SWAPTE, it wouldn't have been a training program that you received a stipend for, it wouldn’t have been a training program that sets you up for success.” said Bishop State President Olivier Charles.
SWAPTE President Sydney Raine emphasized the importance of collaboration among workforce development organizations, educational institutions, and industry.
“Partnerships are key to making programs like this happen. Our team at SWAPTE talked to people on the state level, including the secretary of workforce development about starting this program. As a result of these discussions, we received $1.2 million dollars to establish two cohorts, with a total of 80 participants,” stated President Sydney Raine of SWAPTE.
Students received their certificate and enjoyed light refreshments before engaging in a job fair with 16 industry partners like Austal, Ingalls Shipbuilding, Alabama Shipyard, and Birdon.
For students, the program provided an opportunity to discover new career paths and build confidence in their skills.
“Coming into the program, I wanted to be a crane operator. This program has opened my eyes to a lot of trades, including pipe fitting," Kerstyn Burke said.
Graduate Bly Crum said the certifications he earned have expanded his career opportunities.
“I want to drive trucks for the shipyards bringing materials back and forth. I have the certifications if anyone wants me to do anything else,” Bly Crum said.
K’silas Cowan plans to use the skills gained through the program to pursue entrepreneurship.
“With the skills I learned from this program, I want to start my own electrical business,” K’silas Cowan said.
For Darrian Pollenitz, the program helped shape a new career goal.
“Initially, I wanted to do welding, but after completing this program, I would like to work in pipe fitting,” Darrian Pollenitz said.
The Bishop State Department of Workforce Development is still accepting applications for the next cohort of the All Hands on Deck Maritime Boot Camp, with classes starting in January 2027.