After six weeks of immersive, hands-on exploration of Antigua and Barbuda’s critical shipping and logistics ecosystem, three young emerging professionals have wrapped up their participation in the 2026 Maritime Apprenticeship Programme, a collaborative initiative designed to open new career pathways for youth in the island nation’s key maritime sector.
The three apprentices – Dezante Maile, Myah Ward and Shekinah Hector – completed their rotational training on September 11, marking the milestone with an official certificate presentation ceremony hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority. Unlike traditional apprenticeship models that keep participants attached to a single employer for the full duration of training, this programme was structured to give learners a holistic 360-degree view of the entire maritime supply chain, rotating them through distinct segments of the industry to build broad foundational understanding.
The training kicked off with a two-week placement at Tropical Shipping, where the apprentices gained firsthand insight into core shipping line operations and the behind-the-scenes work that keeps global trade flowing. From there, they moved to the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority, where they studied core port management processes and gained a broader overview of how the entire maritime sector operates within the country’s economic framework. Their final rotational segment placed them with private-sector logistics and distribution firms, where they explored the critical intersection of shipping, commercial activity and end-customer delivery: A.S. Bryden & Sons (Antigua) Ltd., Automotive Art and Chase Distributors Ltd. each hosted one apprentice for this stage of the programme.
The apprenticeship is the result of a collaborative partnership between three key regional and local stakeholders: Tropical Shipping, the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC), and the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority. From its launch, the initiative has centered on a core mission: connecting young people to untapped career opportunities in shipping, logistics and allied maritime fields, addressing growing industry concerns about knowledge transfer to a new generation of workers.
Tamara Lowe-James, Tropical Shipping’s Island Manager and the lead organizer of the programme, highlighted that facilitators observed marked growth in each participant over the six-week training period. “It was rewarding to see the growth, confidence and enthusiasm of the apprentices throughout the six weeks, and we are extremely grateful to all of our partners who helped make the programme possible,” she shared in remarks at the closing ceremony.
The ceremony also shifted focus to the long-term work of sustaining the sector: what comes after young people get their first introduction to maritime careers. Darwin Telemaque, Chief Executive Officer of the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority and Chairman of PMAC, used the closing event to call on established industry professionals to step into active mentorship roles for young people hoping to enter the field. His remarks centered on the urgent need for experienced workers to pass down institutional and practical knowledge to the next generation, equipping new entrants with the technical skills and professional confidence required to build long-term, successful careers in the maritime industry.
This year’s 2026 programme builds on the success of a pilot initiative held in 2025, and organizers have already confirmed plans to continue the programme in 2027, opening the opportunity to an entirely new cohort of young people to gain firsthand, immersive experience in the maritime and logistics sector – an industry that forms the backbone of Antigua and Barbuda’s national economy.