Get Paid $1,000 to Experience the Trades, Engineering, and Vessel Navigation Careers in the Maritime Industry: 2026-2027 MaritimeX Application Now Open

In partnership with maritime industry partners like Cal Poly Maritime Academy and the Working Waterfront Coalition, Ridgeline has opened the application for the 2026-2027 MaritimeX Fellowship, a free, five-month, paid fellowship for 11th and 12th graders in the Bay Area's Contra Costa County.

You'll explore and experience high-paying careers in the marine trades, engineering, and vessel navigation, sail on San Francisco Bay, meet mentors, and receive a $1,000 learning stipend for meeting attendance and engagement requirements.

At a Glance: 2026-2027 MaritimeX Program Dates, Location, and Pay

Who‍

• 50 spots are available for 11th and 12th graders who live in or attend school in the Bay Area's Contra Costa County.
• Priority is given to students from low-income backgrounds.
• No GPA or maritime experience required!

When

• The MaritimeX Fellowship runs winter through spring of the 2026-2027 school year, December 2026 through April 2027.
• The program runs after school on Tuesdays, 4:30–6:30 PM, plus full-day work-based learning intensives, monthly on weekends or non-school days.

Where

• ‍‍West Contra Costa County (likely Richmond) and industry partner sites, primarily in the East Bay. All in person!

Pay

• $1,000 learning stipend for meeting attendance and engagement requirements.

Cost

• Free!

Application deadline

• October 9, 2026, 9 AM. Apply here.

In Case You Missed It: MaritimeX Fellowship Info Session

A Free (In Fact, You'll Earn $1,000) Maritime Career Program for High School Juniors and Seniors

If you're searching for paid maritime internships for high schoolers this winter or spring, welding or trades programs for teens for the 2026-27 school year, or free career-based after-school programs in Richmond, Contra Costa County, or the East Bay, MaritimeX was built for you.

Through site visits, hands-on trade training, and conversations with maritime professionals, you'll:

• Discover high-paying maritime jobs across the trades, engineering, and vessel navigation.
• Explore career paths, from apprenticeships and hands-on training programs to college.
• Build durable and professional skills like communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
• Build your resume and career plan.
• Gain a community of mentors and peers to support your career journey!

The program includes 30+ hours of hands-on experience and 30+ hours of durable skill building in a maritime context.

Maritime Career Pathways You'll Explore: Welding, Electrical, Rigging, Engineering, Navigation, and Logistics

MaritimeX is a five-month, paid fellowship that takes you deep into the maritime industry through two hands-on pathways.

• In Build & Fix It, you'll work on the trades and engineering alongside tradespeople and marine engineers at industry training facilities, exploring the welding, electrical, and rigging skills that keep vessels running.
• In Navigate It, you'll step into the world of deck officers and ship’s crews, experiencing a bridge simulator and sailing on the San Francisco Bay. You’ll also get some exposure to the business and logistics side of the maritime industry.

Along the way, you'll build the durable and professional skills — character, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, leadership — that carry into any career and create a personalized career plan informed by months of hands-on experience. From deckhands and marine engineers to lesser-known roles like riggers and marine oilers, you'll discover maritime jobs you might not have heard of.

MaritimeX Winter and Spring 2027 Schedule

Weekly afterschool sessions run Tuesdays, 4:30–6:30 PM. Full-day intensives typically run 9:30 AM–2:30 PM. All sessions are in person.

• ‍December–January: Sea Trials. Pass your durable skills assessment to earn your MaritimeX polo, then tour the flight deck and engine spaces of the USS Hornet, a decommissioned WWII aircraft carrier docked as a museum in Alameda.‍
• February: Below Deck. Spend two days trying welding, electrical, painting, and hoisting at the Working Waterfront Coalition, plus hands-on time at Cal Poly Maritime Academy.‍
• March: Safe Harbor. Learn what safety and responsibility look like on the water, and what it costs to pursue a maritime training program.‍
• April: At the Helm and Making Port. Practice chart-reading and navigation in the bridge simulator at Cal Poly Maritime Academy, sail San Francisco Bay with Afterguard Sailing Academy, then present your career plan at the Making Port showcase.

Actual program scope may vary based on employer and training partnerships. See the detailed schedule on the MaritimeX webpage.

Is a Career in the Trades, Engineering, or Navigation Right For You?

Find out through the MaritimeX Fellowship!

• Do you like building, fixing, or figuring out how things work?
• Are you curious about engineering, machinery, or navigation?
• Do you enjoy being active or hands-on, rather than sitting at a desk all day?
• Do you like solving problems and puzzles through math, games, or strategy?
• Are you drawn to teamwork, structure, and taking on responsibility?
• Do you dream of travel, adventure, or work that looks different every day?

MaritimeX gives students a paid, hands-on way to test out these interests. No experience or GPA minimum required. Here are more benefits:

• ‍Paid work experience. Gain 30+ hours of hands-on learning through trade rotations, a bridge simulator, sailing with a crew, and site visits.‍
• Employer connections. Grow your network of connections and mentors in the maritime industry to ask questions, get advice, and hear about different career paths and job opportunities.‍
• Professional skills. Gain 30+ hours of skill-building for durable and professional skills that matter in maritime jobs and beyond, including communication, critical thinking, and collaboration.‍
• Career plan and future opportunities. Get support building your career plan with concrete next steps.

How the $1,000 Student Learning Stipend Works

• Fellows must maintain at least an 85% attendance rate and take part in the capstone showcase before final payment.
• Payments go out twice during the program and once at the end, after key work-based learning requirements are met.

How to Apply for the 2026-2027 MaritimeX Fellowship

Here is what you will need to complete the online application by October 9, 2026, 9 AM.

1. Answer a few questions about your background and career interests.
2. Submit one video response (2–3 minutes) – Why MaritimeX? Introduce yourself and tell us why you are interested in the MaritimeX Fellowship and how you think MaritimeX can help you reach your career goals.
3. Submit one written response (300–500 words) – Initiative & Problem-Solving Story: Describe a time when you noticed a problem, stepped in without being asked, and saw it through, even when it wasn't easy. What led you to act, and what did you do? It's okay if it didn't go perfectly; we're just as interested in how you handled it as in the outcome. What did this experience teach you about how you show up when no one is directing you? (This can be something from school, work, or your personal life. It doesn't have to be maritime related.)

Application resources

• Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and spots are limited. Virtual interviews run Oct. 5 – Oct. 30, and decisions go out Oct. 21 – Nov. 3.‍
• Application help: Book a free 15-minute session or follow the video response instructions.

Top MaritimeX FAQs

Is MaritimeX free?
Yes, it's free. and we cover snacks, materials, and certification costs, and fellows receive a $1,000 learning stipend.

Do I need maritime or work experience?
No experience is required to join the MaritimeX Fellowship, just strong curiosity and commitment to explore and experience careers in maritime.

Do I need to know if I want to be a captain or engineer?
Not at all. MaritimeX is about exploration.

Will I get a certificate for completing MaritimeX?
Yes, fellows who complete the program receive a Certificate of Completion.

Is transportation covered?
Your stipend can be used for transportation. We also offer need-based prepaid transportation cards or reimbursement.

View the full FAQ and specifics on Bay Area salaries and careers in maritime on the MaritimeX Fellowship webpage.