Massachusetts Maritime Academy has been awarded a $5.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to launch an international shipbuilding fellowship and training pipeline in partnership with Finland’s Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) and a consortium of U.S. and European industry leaders. The four-year initiative, known as NEXTSEAS (Next Era Xceptional Technology for Shipbuilding and Education in Americas’ Seas), is designed to address a critical shortage of more than 300,000 skilled workers in the U.S. shipbuilding sector by combining advanced European shipbuilding expertise with American workforce development. The program will develop globally recognized curricula, implement a train-the-trainer model, and offer immersive fellowships in Finland using live shipyard environments provided by Rauma Marine Constructions. U.S.-based Bollinger Shipyards will validate training, host boot camps, and provide long-term career pathways for graduates. Project leaders say NEXTSEAS represents a strategic investment in workforce resilience, trans-Atlantic collaboration, and the future competitiveness of the U.S. maritime industrial base.