Alexandria Seaport Foundation

 

For more than 30 years, Alexandria Seaport Foundation has been dedicated to its mission of helping disconnected young adults chart more stable and brighter futures for themselves through their immersive Apprentice Program, which provides life skills mentoring, workforce readiness, and pathways toward employment opportunities, trade schools, or post secondary education.

Who They Serve

Seaport Apprentices are young adults, ages 18-23, from the VA-DC-MD region who are disconnected from the education systems, the workforce and their communities. They may have dropped out of school, been unable to find work, been involved in the criminal justice system, have mental or physical health challenges and/or have significant family caregiving responsibilities. They typically come from under-resourced households and unstable environments. They are all seeking brighter futures for themselves and their families.

What They Do

Seaport is a safe, encouraging place where Apprentices can forge relationships with staff, volunteers, and each other. The small class size fosters these bonds and builds trust as they move through the six-month Apprentice Program. By learning traditional boatbuilding, woodworking, and on-the-water navigation, Seaport Apprentices develop confidence, discipline, resiliency, and problem-solving skills. Apprentices work alongside carpenters, boat builders, and sailing instructors who teach and challenge them each day.

The process of building beautiful wooden items, from toolboxes to boats, in Seaport’s waterfront workshop and learning to sail on the Potomac River gives Apprentices the opportunity to take on new tasks where they learn to appreciate their own abilities and potential for success. Seaport’s comprehensive curriculum also includes financial literacy, nutrition, anger management, applied math, literacy, workplace etiquette, professional communication, plus career exploration and counseling.

Impact

Graduates of the Apprentice Program have developed the necessary skill sets to lead more productive, self-sufficient lives as young adults, contributing to their communities and workplaces, and supporting their families. Seaport’s graduates seek out various career paths. Some enter the construction field of the maritime industry, with some becoming shipwrights. Others have pursued the military, auto mechanics, interior design, finance, culinary arts, and apprenticeships in welding, carpentry, and electrical. Others have pursued education by earning their GED and attending community colleges or four-year colleges.

Program Director Matt Roberts with Apprentices