Ocean technology internships prepare UMass Dartmouth students for careers in the Blue Economy

UMass Dartmouth continues its proven partnership with Courage Builder to offer students paid internships in the growing ocean technology and research sectors

As the Blue Economy continues to grow, partnerships like the one between UMass Dartmouth and Courage Builder are helping ensure students graduate not only with a degree, but with meaningful industry experience, and employers gain access to talented professionals ready to contribute from their first day on the job. 

Through the university's ongoing partnership with Courage Builder, UMass Dartmouth students spent the summer immersed in the rapidly growing ocean technology field as part of the Blue Technologies and Innovation Career Pathways Program. The paid 10-week internships paired 15 students from different majors with companies across southeastern Massachusetts where they gained valuable professional experience while making meaningful contributions to real-world projects. 

The program also benefits participating employers, many of whom are seeking the next generation of talent as Massachusetts's Blue Economy continues to expand. 

"I was blown away with the work these interns did," said Mark Hager, founder and CEO of New England Marine Monitoring. "Some internships are filled with busywork or observation. These students did real work." 

"Sholeh was an incredible intern this summer: driven, proactive, and exceptionally talented," said Mariana Silva Vinagre, co-founder and COO at NautIQ Technologies. "She made meaningful contributions to our work at NautIQ from day one, and we are so grateful for her hard work! There was no challenge that I threw at her that she didn't figure out how to solve."

"I was blown away with the work these interns did. Some internships are filled with busywork or observation. These students did real work."

Job skills for the future of the ocean workforce 

Ocean technology is one of the most rapidly growing areas of the Blue Economy.  As a member of the nation's only federally designated Ocean Technology Hub consortium, UMass Dartmouth not only generates advanced research in marine science and technology, but also develops the talent pipeline to meet growing workforce demand. 

"We know that the jobs of the future will require people who are innovative, technical, multi-faceted, problem solvers, and willing to learn things that may be new or unknown," said Courage Builder CEO Nishita Roy-Pope. "This program is developing our regional workforce to have practical and real-world skills that are not available through coursework alone. It is a very exciting time to be part of the Blue Economy sector, and we are so proud of this cohort of motivated early career individuals who have demonstrated their talents and potential throughout this internship. We are also very grateful to have such a strong network of industry partners engaged and to have the expertise and leadership of a world-class ocean research institution like UMass Dartmouth and SMAST." 

Over the course of the summer, students worked with organizations including New England Marine Monitoring, Fleet Robotics, NautIQ, New Bedford Research and Robotics, Sedna Robotics, New Bedford Conservation Commission, and the School for Marine Science and Technology at UMass Dartmouth, supporting projects ranging from underwater robotics and software engineering to marine environmental monitoring, data analysis, and business operations. By the end of the program, students gained new technical skills, hands-on experience managing real projects, and a clearer understanding of the many career paths available in ocean technology. 

"Coming in, I thought an internship was mostly about proving you could do the work. What I actually got was a team that trusted me with a real problem and let me figure it out," said Travis Wessman '28, a computer science major who interned with Sedna Robotics, a Boston-based startup operating in partnership with New Bedford Research and Robotics.  "We were given a question worth answering and had to decide for ourselves what 'done' looked like, what was worth building, and when to stop polishing. That's uncomfortable at first, and then it becomes the best part." 

 "Courage Builder offers an invaluable program for all the students involved, allowing them to connect classroom learning with real world career experience and providing a hands-on way to connect with industry," said Kyle Cassidy, assistant dean for operations at SMAST.  "Having SMAST as part of this was especially rewarding for our faculty, staff and students who were able to teach the interns the research and lab skills essential to bring marine science careers to life." 

Students also engaged in professional development opportunities throughout the summer, including site visits to New Bedford Research and Robotics, Fleet Robotics, New Bedford Ocean Cluster, New England Marine Monitoring, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the New England Aquarium. 

The Blue Technologies and Innovation Career Pathways Program is made possible by state funding devoted to the university's Blue Economy Initiatives. If you are interested in learning more about this program or partnering for future efforts, please contact nishita@couragebuilder.com or kcassidy@umassd.edu. 

Ocean technology internships prepare UMass Dartmouth students for careers in the Blue Economy

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