The Apprenticeshop is one of the oldest traditional boat building schools in the U.S. It has a two-year apprenticeship program, a 12-week internship in wooden boat building, a cooperative internship in traditional boat building and adult workshops and youth courses in traditional boat building.
The two-year apprenticeship program begins in January or July. The school limits enrollment to 20 student apprentices. Students learn by building vessels ranging from 8 to 30 feet. Students work on vessels by specification or commission. All students learn seamanship.
The 12-week internship teaches students the process of building a Susan skiff, a flat bottom rowing skiff, under a weekly project schedule. New interns begin in January, April or September.
The Landing School offers five programs that prepare students for marine industry careers: Wooden Boat Building, Composite Boat Building, Yacht Design, Marine Systems and General Education courses. Each program is a comprehensive, full-time course that operates from September to June. Students receive diplomas after successful completion of the program. Students can earn an Associate's Degree after successful completion of two of the programs over two years.
The Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building is the only school that teaches the unique methods Puget Sound shipwrights and master boat builders used in the early 20th century. The school offers a full-time vocational study program in boat building along with non-credit courses and workshops.
Full-time students can earn diplomas over nine months and an Associate Degree of Occupational Studies over 12 months. The full-time degree program choices comprise traditional large craft, contemporary wooden boats and traditional small craft programs.
Students work within a group of 8 to 12 students under one instructor working on bench projects, drafting, hands-on activities on the shop floors, lofting and building vessels. The school helps students in need of housing find convenient places to stay near the school.
The Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory is geared specifically toward middle and high school students and is based on the premise that students learn best by doing. The program provides hands-on, experiential learning during the hours after school and over summer break. The Boat Build and Sail program operates all year. Students work in groups of eight and build, sale and race their own 19-foot Lightning class wooden sailboat. The Canoe Build program is a school day project that offers students an additional learning experience outside the classroom. Each Canoe Build class works in small groups in the shop for three hours each week to build a 15-foot wooden canoe. The program lasts 19 weeks.