Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education

as the "The Seafarers' Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship"cite web
title = The late Paul Hall inducted to Labor Hall of Fame
url = http://www.amo-union.org/Newspaper/Morgue/11-2003/Sections/News/paulhall.htm
work = American Maritime Officer
accessdate=March 16| accessyear=2007] , the Paul Hall Center is the largest training facility for deep sea merchant seafarers and inland waterways boatmen in the United States.cite web
title = Paul Hall Center: Meeting Industry's Needs Since 1967
url = http://www.seafarers.org/phc/schoolHistory.xml
work = School History
accessdate=March 16| accessyear=2007] The school was moved to the 60 acre plot at the confluence of the Potomac River and St. George's Creek at the Piney Point location in 1991, and at the same time renamed after former SIU president Paul Hall.

According to SIU, "Tens of thousands of rated and licensed seamen have completed upgrading classes at the training center. Additionally, more than 21,000 men and women from every state in the U.S., Puerto Rico and several U.S. territories have graduated from the trainee program for those just beginning their maritime careers."

The center features a number of buildings, including:
* the Joseph Sacco Fire Fighting and Safety School,
* the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship,
* the Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Education Center, and
* the Paul Hall Library and Maritime Museum.
* The Romeo Lupinacci Culunary lab

Prior to the opening of the Paul Hall Center, SIU maintained training facilities at five different ports. In 1966, the union bought the Piney Point site. The program grew to include other offerings, such as a reading skills program, a high-school equivalency program, an adult basic skills program, and English as a Second Language program.

In 1978, SIU entered into an arrangement with Charles County Community College of Maryland which allows participants to earn an Associates of Arts degree. In 1993, the Maryland Higher Education Commission authorized the college program to change its degree award to an Associate of Applied Science degree and to a certificate program in Maritime Technology.

NCL America

In 2004, Norwegian Cruise Lines' "NCL America" division began operating the Pride of Aloha in Hawai'i. The cruise line was plagued by customer complaints which prompted them to seek out a training program for new employees.cite web
title = Call it Norwegian boot camp
url = http://www.sptimes.com/2005/06/19/Travel/Call_it_Norwegian_boo.shtml
work = St. Petersburg Times Online
accessdate=March 18| accessyear=2007] The Paul Hall Center was the location of NCL America's training facility until early 2007, when training operations were moved to a dedicated facility at Barber's Point, HI.cite web
title = Innovations in Crew Training
url = http://www.cruisecritic.com/features/articles.cfm?ID=190
work = Cruise Critic
accessdate=March 18| accessyear=2007]

ee also

* Paul Hall (labor leader)
* Michael Sacco
* Harry Lundeberg
* Seafarers International Union

References

External links

* [http://www.seafarers.org/phc/ Paul Hall Center]
* [http://www.seafarers.org/ Seafarers International Union]