LMC launches Marine Maintenance Technician Program

To address a growing need in the maritime industry, Lake Michigan College announces the launch of its Marine Maintenance Technician Program. 

Developed in collaboration with the American Boat and Yacht Council, the Michigan Boating Industries Association, and local marinas, the seven-week certificate program based at LMC’s South Haven Campus prepares students for a job maintaining and repairing boats of all shapes and sizes. 

“We’re excited to have a training program in South Haven that aims to equip the next generation of marine technicians with the tools to enter the maritime industry,” South Haven Assistant City Manager and Harbormaster Griffin S. Graham said. “This program reflects our commitment to supporting local businesses, workforce development, and our community’s rich maritime heritage.” 

Marine technicians maintain and repair yachts and cabin cruisers, houseboats and catamarans, ski boats and personal watercraft, and about any other pleasure boat that sails the Great Lakes. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2022, the median annual salary for motorboat mechanics and service technicians in the United States was $48,280.  

With more than 3,822 miles of shoreline and the second-highest number of registered boats in the country, Michigan offers plenty of career opportunities for Marine Maintenance Technicians.  

Jeremy Burleson, LMC’s Associate Dean, Regional Campuses, said there have been 135 job postings for marine technicians in the past year alone. 

“South Haven currently has 230 boats that need updating with new electrical systems, and there is a four-month wait to have a technician service them,” Burleson said. “After contacting marinas as far north as Cadillac and as far south as New Buffalo, almost everyone I spoke with said that they needed technicians and that many of their current technicians were close to retirement age, so the need for techs will only grow.” 

LMC’s Marine Maintenance Technician Program prepares students to earn their lifetime Mercury Marine Technician number and sit for the American Boat & Yacht Council Marine Service Technology Exam.  

Students will become skilled in both inboard and outboard engine technology and earn multiple certifications, including OSHA 10, American Heart Association First Aid, and CPR/AED while learning everything from hydraulics and rigging to electrical and plumbing systems. 

The next seven-week course begins Monday, Sept. 11. The program is offered online except for one day of First Aid CPR/AED and seven days when students travel to Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan, to learn at their state-of-the-art marine facility.  

To register or for more information, email Jeremy Burleson at jburleson@lakemichigancollege.edu, call 269-637-7514 or visit lakemichigancollege.edu/academics/manufacturing-industrial-technology/marine-technology.