The Southeast Maritime and Transportation Center (SMART), a consortium of Tidewater Community College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, is a regional educational resource and an economic model for preparing a sustainable, globally-prepared maritime transportation workforce for the 21st century. The Port of Virginia and Jacksonville's deep-water port are among the largest in the US, driving both the regional and state economies. They need better educated technicians, specialists and supervision level workers. The Center provides the necessary coordination among educators and industry partners to consolidate specifications for education for specific maritime occupations, to develop career pathways and educational programs that align with applicable standards, to facilitate the portability of credentials among employers with in the region, and to lay the groundwork for future industry-developed certifications for critical job roles. Awareness of the available careers in maritime, transportation, and logistics is promoted to high schools, community colleges and four year institutions. A Career PathWAVES repository serves as a regional and a national model to create conditions for synergy between research, career pathways, and education for industry as well as students and faculty. The evaluation documents performance to project goals.
