River & Sea Featured in Yamaha Outboard Training Partnership

River & Sea Marine & Motorsports is proud to be featured in a new video from the Alaska Workforce Alliance highlighting Yamaha Marine's outboard technician training partnership with the University of Alaska and Kenai Peninsula College (KPC).

The video looks at how Yamaha is helping young Alaskans build careers as outboard motor technicians, and what that partnership means for a Yamaha dealer like us. We were glad to share our side of the story, because the future of Alaska boating depends on people who know how to keep these engines running.

A statewide partnership built for Alaska

The program grew out of a Yamaha Marine Training Program Agreement signed in August 2022 during the Kenai Classic. Governor Mike Dunleavy, University of Alaska President Pat Pitney and then-Labor Commissioner Dr. Tamika Ledbetter signed it with Yamaha's U.S. Marine Business Unit.

The agreement runs through the Alaska Maritime Education Consortium (AMEC), a partnership between the University of Alaska and the state's Alaska Vocational Technical Center. Yamaha supplies the curriculum, trains the instructors, and makes outboards and tools available to training sites at or below cost. The University of Alaska provides the classrooms and shops.

Kenai Peninsula College in Soldotna was one of the first two schools in the state to adopt Yamaha's Marine Certification modules, alongside Prince William Sound College in Valdez. Students work hands-on with real Yamaha outboards and earn a certification issued by Yamaha itself.

The skills carry over beyond one brand, too. While the coursework centers on Yamaha engines, the fundamentals apply to outboards of every make, so graduates are ready to walk into any marine service shop.

Why it matters to us and to Alaska boaters

Yamaha holds close to half of the outboard market in Alaska, and those engines work hard. Commercial fishermen, guides, subsistence users and weekend anglers all rely on them, often far from the nearest shop. When an outboard goes down mid-season, a trained technician is what gets you back on the water.

The hard truth is that skilled marine technicians are in short supply across the state. Too often, an engine that could be repaired gets replaced instead because no one nearby can service it. Programs like this one build a pipeline of certified, job-ready technicians who learn on the same engines we sell and service every day.

For River & Sea, that means a stronger service team, shorter wait times for our customers and good local careers for young Alaskans. For boaters, it means more confidence that your engine will be cared for by someone who was trained the right way.

Watch the video and start your career

See the full feature here: Outboard Motors | River & Sea Marine & Motorsports | Yamaha Marine | Alaska Workforce Alliance.

If you or someone you know likes working with your hands and loves being on the water, this could be the start of a great career. Course details, schedules and enrollment information are on Kenai Peninsula College's Outboard Motor program page.

Already certified, or close to it? Stop by River & Sea or reach out to our service department. We're always glad to meet the next generation of Alaska marine technicians.