Orange Coast College has offered career training in the maritime industry for over a decade, and the program now has a spacious new home: the Professional Mariner Training Center, worth $ 22 million.
Conveniently located on the West Coast Highway in the Mariners’ Mile of Newport Beach, the 12,000 square foot building was officially opened last week across from existing OCC facilities for the school’s rowing teams and sailing lessons for students and the community.
Orange Coast College’s new Professional Sailor Training Center on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach on Friday, September 24, 2021. The center will house the college’s Professional Sailor Program which includes: classrooms, laboratory, Radar training room and a full mission deck simulator for students wishing to pursue a career in the boating and marine industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
Greg Wisener, an Orange Coast College seamanship instructor, sits at one of the simulators in the simulation lab at the new Professional Sailor Training Center on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday, September 24, 2021. The center will be home to the college’s Professional Mariner program which includes: classrooms, a lab, a radar training room and a Full Mission Bridge simulator for students wishing to pursue a career in boating and sailing. maritime industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
Greg Wisener, left, an Orange Coast College seamanship instructor, chats with Keenan Smith, the architect of the new Professional Sailor Training Center on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday September 24, 2021. The center will be the home for the college’s Professional Mariner program which includes: classrooms, a laboratory, a radar training room and a full mission deck simulator for students who wish to pursue a career in boating and the maritime industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
A chalkboard sits on a desk in one of the Orange Coast College classrooms at the new Professional Sailor Training Center on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday, September 24, 2021. The center will be the home of the college professional sailor program which includes: classrooms, a laboratory, a radar training room and a full mission deck simulator for students wishing to pursue careers in the boating and marine industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
Guests visit the simulation lab at Orange Coast College’s new Professional Sailor Training Center on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday, September 24, 2021. The center will house the Professional Sailor Program of the college which includes: classrooms, a laboratory space, a radar training room and a Full Mission Bridge simulator for students wishing to pursue a career in boating and the maritime industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
The display of one of the simulators in the simulation lab at Orange Coast College’s new Professional Sailor Training Center on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday, September 24, 2021. The center will host the professionals of the College Mariner Program which includes: classrooms, a laboratory, a radar training room and a full mission bridge simulator for students wishing to pursue a career in the boating and marine industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
The main hall of the new Orange Coast College Professional Sailor Training Center located on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday, September 24, 2021. The center will house the college’s Professional Sailor Program which includes: classrooms, a laboratory space, a radar training room and a Full Mission Bridge simulator for students wishing to pursue a career in boating and the maritime industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
Mary Lynn Bergman-Rallis of Newport Beach stands on deck and steers a ship through a storm in the Full Mission Bridge Simulator at Orange Coast College’s new Professional Sailor Training Center on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday September 24, 2021. The center will house the college’s Professional Mariner program, which includes: classrooms, a laboratory, a radar training room and a full mission bridge simulator for students wishing to pursue a career in boating and the maritime industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
Guests visit the new Orange Coast College Professional Sailor Training Center located on the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach during an open house on Friday, September 24, 2021. The center will be home to the college’s Professional Mariner program which includes : classrooms, a laboratory space, a radar training room and a Full Mission Bridge simulator for students wishing to pursue a career in boating and the maritime industry. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register / SCNG)
While the sailing facility had a few classrooms, a library, and dock space that could accommodate around 40 boats of varying sizes, OCC Waterfront Campus Principal Sarah Hirsch said the new center – connected to the sailing facility by a pedestrian bridge – adds more classrooms and a lab where students can learn how to use radar systems and plot a ship’s course .
It also includes a $ 500,000 immersive space that simulates the deck of a ship so students can practice their driving skills and avoid accidents and other incidents.
Funding for the new training center comes from the $ 698 million raised by Measure M, the Voter Funding Requirement approved in 2012 to generate funds for the renovation and construction of educational facilities in the Coast District Community College.
Previously, some of the college’s sailing and seamanship school classes were held at the main Costa Mesa campus, Hirsch said. “What this new building does is really provide them with a permanent location for this program.”
The Professional Sailor program, which offers certificates and associate’s degrees, was already growing. Having a dedicated facility will allow the OCC to expand it further and also offer courses to serving sailors to renew their certifications or upgrade their skills through a partnership with the Training Resources Maritime Institute in San Diego, a Hirsch said.
The school will organize several open house events for potential students and the community to discover OCC’s maritime offerings.
“As soon as people see what they can do here and how different the facility is from a regular school building… it really draws people in,†Hirsch said.
The next open house will be on October 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the OCC Professional Mariner Training Center, 1700 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach.
