Yamaha Marine Technical School Partnerships Adds Three New Schools

The Yamaha Marine Technical School Partnership program (TSP) added three new schools to its growing list of participants, bringing the total number to 120 nationwide. Developed in 2015, Yamaha’s TSP program aims to develop a stronger marine technician workforce through a certified curriculum, Yamaha systems access and product donations used in the classroom for hands-on training. New program participants include Hart County High School, Hartwell, Georgia; Monroe Career & Technical Institute, Bartonsville, Pennsylvania; and Suffolk County Community College, Selden, New York. Recognizing the need for quality technicians, the marine technician training courses offered in classrooms create a center for innovation, workforce development initiatives and a pipeline for dealerships and service operations in various areas.

The facilitation and growth of Yamaha Marine’s technical school relationships led to the development of Yamaha-sponsored curricula available to technical schools for use in the classroom. The first curriculum, titled “Introduction to Outboard Systems,” (ITOS) includes textbook materials and hands-on learning experiences for students who wish to start a career as a marine industry technician. Students who successfully complete the course receive Yamaha Marine’s Introduction to Outboard Systems Certification. ITOS is a pre-requisite for Yamaha’s new Maintenance Certification Program (MCP), which is based on the 20, 100-, 300-, 500- and 1,000-hour maintenance procedures for Yamaha Outboards. MCP students will leave the Yamaha Technical School Partner with certified maintenance competencies that prepare them to be immediately profitable in Yamaha dealership service departments. Yamaha dealerships can take them on as apprentices or full-time technicians to help them continue to develop their skills.