About The Landing School
The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design was established in 1978 as a nonprofit, post-secondary institution dedicated to providing the highest quality vocational education in boatbuilding. In 1979, the Design Program was added to fill a need in the marine industry for a source of new designers trained specifically in the techniques and aesthetics of yacht and commercial boat design. In 1987 The Landing School of Boat Building and Design became the first school of its type to be accredited by the National Association of Trade and Technical Schools (now called the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology). Enrolling its first class in September of 1999, the Marine Systems Technician Program was created to meet the heavy industry demand for workers trained in this field.
Blending the diverse technologies of design, marine systems and boatbuilding under one roof is among the reasons that The Landing School is unique. The School seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice to provide graduates with the balance of skills and understanding necessary for both immediate employment opportunities and future career growth potential.
The School offers three full-time instructional programs designed to prepare students for careers in the marine industry. The Boatbuilding Program provides intensive, hands-on vocational training in both traditional and contemporary techniques of boat construction. The Design Program offers a detailed academic course in the science and art of yacht and small commercial craft design focused on the development of practical design skills and project execution. The Marine Systems Technician Program satisfies the technical training needs of students who will seek employment installing, maintaining and repairing marine systems. While students enroll in these programs individually, many benefit from taking additional programs in consecutive years.
Close physical proximity of these three programs in one facility provides students program with continuous exposure to the activities of the other two. For example, students in the Design Program come in regular contact with both an active boat shop and a marine systems laboratory. This exposure allows them to make decisions about their own designs that could not be derived from a purely academic environment. This cross-program exposure is reinforced through shared lectures and a program of guest speakers from throughout the marine industry.
Our students are drawn from all over the United States, as well as from Canada, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. Graduates of our programs are now employed in the marine industry all over the world as professional designers, builders, systems technicians and repairers. Some go into related fields such as sail making, spar design, and yacht sales. Many have started their own boat shops and design offices.
The school's ability to reinforce and preserve traditional skills and knowledge while advancing the builder's and designer's art through the integration of modern techniques and contemporary materials is recognized and valued throughout the marine industry. The Landing School enjoys an international reputation for program quality and, as an educational institution, is considered by many in the marine industry to be unequaled.
