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Partnership with Maritime Organization Benefits Tongue Point Job Corps Students

A couple of weeks ago, we introduced you to John LaPier, a seamanship student at the Tongue Point Job Corps Center.

Click here if you missed the story.

“I’ve loved every second of it. Job Corps is a gift,” John expressed to a group of community partners. “It’s pulled me out of a lot of things.”

John was fortunate to do an internship with Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the maritime industry strong.

“Our mission is to keep maritime history alive for new generations.”

Caitlin Stanton is operations director for the group which operates two tall ships: Lady Washington which was in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie and Hawaiian Chieftain which was in the movie Blackbeard.

Caitlin learned of Job Corps after participating in a safety training class with Tongue Point seamanship instructor, Captain Len Tumbarello.

“I shot him an email,” explains Caitlin, “and asked him if his students ever needed hands-on training, and he said, ‘Yes.’”

And so, a new partnership was created, giving Tongue Point students, like John, excellent training opportunities. Caitlin talks about a recent voyage involving Tongue Point students.

“They spent 45 days with us. They boarded in Oakland, CA and traveled up the coast with our vessels…I think the biggest thing we have to offer Tongue Point students is hands-on training, particularly with rigging.”

Which is the system of using ropes and cables to support the mast and set sail. Tongue Point students learn the ins and outs of knot tying.

“Even though they may have practice from their training on tying those knots and using those knots, this gives them that many more experiences of using those knots and knowing how to apply them in any situation—which is something that makes for a really strong mariner.”

Grays Harbor Historical Seaport does a lot to keep the maritime industry vibrant, including giving tours and inspiring young people to look for job opportunities in the field. Caitlin says Job Corps is a perfect fit.

“By partnering with Tongue Point, it’s such a win-win because you have all these students who want to become mariners, and they’re exactly the kind of people that we’re looking for to be deckhands on our vessels.”