American Boat Council names new accreditation director

The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) has named Sarah Devlin as the new accreditation director to manage and promote the ABYC Foundation’s expanding Marine Trades Accreditation Program (MTAP), which launched earlier this year. Devlin will work directly with secondary and post-secondary schools across the US that are educating future marine technicians.

“I am eager to get more involved in these initiatives for graduating technicians to receive the guidance necessary to succeed in the marine industry,” Devlin says. “I look forward to connecting with both schools and industry to ensure students are getting trained to the standards behind 90 per cent of the boats built in North America.”

Devlin, who has been ABYC’s content director since early 2021, formerly worked as communications director for The Landing School and education director for the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX). She will continue the work with teachers and school administrators that Margaret Podlich initiated as the foundation’s executive director.

“As Margaret has decided to pursue other opportunities, we look to continue the great work she started with MTAP,” says John Adey, ABYC’s president. “As the first executive director, Margaret shaped the foundation as a leader on the industry’s workforce development front. We will all miss the energy she brought to her position.”

Accreditation is available to all high school and post-secondary school marine service technology programmes that deliver consistent and reliable instruction on industry-acknowledged topics and techniques. Practices, resources, and instructors must all meet ABYC Foundation Accreditation Commission standards.