With summer in full swing, there’s a chance to reflect on the past academic year’s untold stories. One such example is the inaugural Classroom on the Water program in which 23 Port Townsend Maritime Academy (PTMA) students had the opportunity to learn first-hand from crews aboard Washington State Ferries (WSF) in May.
“All of our students are interested in some kind of maritime career, whether it’s operating vessels or working for WSF. This is a career immersion for them,” says PTMA instructor Carolyn Wasser. “Students are seeing different jobs on the ferry, being able to interact with people who work here already, and getting a big understanding of how all of the maritime skills they work on during the year come together to operate a large vessel.”
Washington State Ferries is now the largest ferry system in the United States and the third largest ferry system in the world; it carried more than 20 million passengers in 2025. “Washington State Ferries is more than a transportation system, we’re also a maritime employer with hundreds of career opportunities both afloat and ashore,” says Adam Dahl, WSF Workforce Outreach Specialist. “Programs like Classroom on the Water give students a firsthand look at the skill, teamwork, and professionalism required to operate the nation’s largest ferry system, while helping them see a clear pathway from the classroom to a rewarding maritime career.”
During the week on board, students rotated through the pilothouse, passenger deck, car deck, and engine room departments, getting an overview of the different roles and responsibilities that crew members have. May’s extreme low tides canceled several sailings during the week, giving students a unique opportunity to join the crew for a Fire Drill and to observe Person in the Water and Abandon Ship drills and equipment.
“The coolest thing I learned today is that they were able to launch their lifeboat, get the life ring, and get the life boat back on the ferry within three minutes. That was super cool!” says senior Bruno Bell.
Senior Garret Warren said he was surprised by how many safety mechanisms are built into one vessel and how quickly and efficiently crews responded during drills. “It takes speed. It takes coordination. It takes everyone knowing their role.”
Garret said the pilothouse stood out because of “all the different controls,” though the moment that felt most like real maritime work came in the engine room, seeing “how everything was working together to power such a big machine.”
“I really liked it, it was probably one of my favorite units this year,” says junior Ave Arroyo. “It’s a lot more than just guiding cars… It was fun to see how everything worked together. Every boat has its own language and rules and its own life to live.”
During the program, students made observations and asked questions about crew members’ jobs and how they came to work at the ferries. One of the big surprises was learning about the week-on, week-off structure and 12-hour shifts.
Junior Samuel Shepard adds, “I think, in my experience, the ferries are the closest thing to what I want from a job….”
The culminating event for the Classroom on the Water program was a public presentation of the students’ experience during the program. Students shared different highlights of what they learned; noting the amount of work that goes into all of the details of running the ferries, the skill and training of the crews, and that ferry jobs can be tons of fun while keeping safety a priority.
“By working alongside ferry crews, asking questions, and seeing operations up close, students gain a realistic understanding of the industry and can better determine whether a career with Washington State Ferries, or the broader maritime sector, is the right fit for them,” says Adam Dahl. “That’s a win for students, our industry, and our future workforce.”
Port Townsend Maritime Academy is a maritime-focused public high school program offered through West Sound Technical Skills Center, Port Townsend High School and Northwest Maritime. The program serves students from multiple partner school districts and is enrolling for the 2026-27 school year. Interested students can register at www.nwmaritime.org/PTMA
By Chrissy McLean, NWM Career Launch Manager
