PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD, Maine – Portsmouth Naval Shipyard entered into an educational partnership agreement (EPA) with the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) at a formal signing ceremony Friday, September 27.
The five-year agreement will allow the shipyard to make its scientific, engineering, and technology assets and subject matter experts available to the college faculty to enhance their research activities and the educational experience of CCSNH students. In turn, the shipyard is able to involve CCSNH faculty and students in Navy research projects underway at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
“With seven colleges located across the state of New Hampshire, CCSNH contributes to the development of many potential members of the local workforce,” said Shipyard Commander, Capt. Daniel Ettlich. “This is our second educational partnership which promotes STEM education through collaboration and knowledge sharing while tapping into the enthusiasm of CCSNH students and faculty. This will ultimately lead to increased innovation within our work practices.”
The EPA is a dynamic agreement that can be used to meet the needs of either organization. It protects the intellectual property, such as inventions, data and proprietary information, of each partner. Among other things, the EPA enables the school to structure projects similar to typical shipyard related challenges thus providing realistic on-the-job experience to students.
“We are pleased to deepen our partnership with Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,” said CCSNH Chancellor Ross Gittell. “Colleges can act as strong strategic partners with employers to ensure that the expertise and problem-solving capacity intrinsic to educational institutions fuels real- world solutions and supports strong industry practices and growth. Community colleges in particular are designed to be attuned to future workforce and work practice needs within our regions and businesses.”
Portsmouth gained technology transfer laboratory status in 2017, which promotes joint cooperative development programs and business agreements to work with industry and academia to research complex challenges and develop solutions.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is America’s leader for attack submarine maintenance, repair, and modernization. The on-time completion of submarine availabilities is critical to maintaining the U.S. Navy’s maritime superiority. As a NAVSEA operated field activity, PNSY is committed to expanding our undersea advantage and maximizing the material readiness of the fleet by safely delivering first-time quality, on time, and on budget.
CCSNH partners with local businesses to ensure students learn the skills needed in today’s competitive environment with technical skills, critical thinking and teamwork-across a range of industries and sectors. CCSNH consists of seven college campuses across the state. The system includes Great Bay Community College, River Valley Community College, New Hampshire Technical Institute, Manchester Community College, Nashua Community College, Lakes Region Community College and White Mountain Community College.
