WWW: Looking Back & Ahead

Last year was a transformative one for We Work the Waterways (WWW). The 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to bringing young people closer to the maritime industry, achieved major strides, growing both inside and out. Early last year, WWW announced it was splitting from Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals (IRPT) to become a standalone organization.

Since then, WWW has thrived, Executive Director Errin Howard said, and its staff has doubled. An effort that originally ran on one full-time and one part-time employee has now grown to include two more full-time staff members. The nonprofit also launched its own board of directors as well as an advisory council, creating a network of more than 30 industry professionals who are committed to WWW’s mission.

“It’s a story of growth,” Howard said. “I’m just so proud of our team. It’s so nice to have a team that is passionate about the mission and works hard to get this done.”

Even with all the changes, WWW always kept its priority in mind: to show up for students. WWW added new cities to its calendar, bringing Industry Interaction Days to students in Milwaukee, Wis., Pascagoula, Miss., and Madisonville, La., to name a few. Programming was revived in cities such as Tulsa, Okla., and Memphis, Tenn., and WWW hopes to add even more cities in 2026.

“It’s always been great for the community,” said Casey Stubbs, human resources director at Golding Barge Line and member of the WWW advisory council. “[WWW] does a great job of supporting an industry people are already working in. But it does a great job connecting students, too, and not just students, but people who are already working a job but are looking for a career. This is so different from a job fair. It’s unique. It’s industry-driven.”

An Industry Interaction Day that stood out to both Howard and Stubbs as a 2025 highlight was the February event in Vicksburg, Miss. Golding Barge Line brought its man overboard station and explained to students the prevention and safety protocols in place for when an incident occurs. According to Stubbs, Golding Barge Line has only experienced two minor man overboard incidents in the last five years.

“I saw the communication and the talking from students,” Stubbs said. “They’re not just walking through a building or gymnasium and taking a pamphlet with a number on it. It’s exciting, and you don’t see it every day. The only time you see anything in the maritime industry is when you’re driving over a bridge and see a towboat underneath you. It’s good exposure.”

Industry Interaction Days include panels of industry professionals as well as stationed activities. Donte Curtis, a young deckhand working at Marquette Transportation and former student of WWW advisory council member Terrence James, was a panelist at the Vicksburg event. He told students that he had never pictured himself going into the industry. During one of his shifts at Circle K gas station more than a year ago, Curtis noticed a customer pull up in an expensive car. When he asked the customer what he did for a living, the customer responded that he worked in the maritime industry. Inspired, Curtis began applying for positions and joined Marquette Transportation as a deckhand shortly afterward.

“I asked him about his car when I was working at Circle K, and he told me about working on the river,” Curtis said. “I’ve been in Vicksburg all my life, but I never thought about the river. I didn’t know it was a job I could do. People always say that it’s a white man’s job, but there’s no such thing as a white man’s job. More kids of color should know about it.”

The customer who inspired Curtis to join the industry was none other than Capt. Charles Thornton, a port captain with Ergon Marine & Industrial Supply. Thorton, coincidentally, happened to be on the exact same panel as Curtis at the Vicksburg Industry Interaction Day. The moment brought Curtis’ introduction to the industry full circle.

“I think it just goes to show that people in the industry also have to do their part to encourage others,” Howard said. “They have to show what it means to them and their life, and that can inspire others to pursue a career that can also impact their lives.”

Curtis has been with Marquette Transportation for more than a year and loves it just as much as when he first started. He is now a senior deckhand and hopes to one day make it to the wheelhouse. On the panel, he shared with students the sense of community he finds on the boat as well.

“You have a boat family,” Curtis said. “You’re away from home a lot, so it’s nice to have people around who you can talk to about anything. No one judges anyone. You hear about everyone’s stories and experiences. The job itself is amazing. I’m learning a lot.”

Curtis isn’t the only young mariner directly impacted by WWW events. Gavin Pugh and Gavin White, two high school students who attended WWW Industry Interaction Days, secured positions as deckhands with Golding Barge Line. Colby Brammer, a student who was inspired to join the industry following a WWW event and received a tour of an ACBL facility, now works as a deckhand in the industry as well. Brammer and one of the Gavins have also spoken at WWW events.

“To have an 18-year-old kid talk to other 18-year-old kids about the industry is pretty inspiring,” Howard said.

WWW is continuing to reach students in as many ways as possible outside of its Industry Interaction Days. The organization was proud to launch its new website last year, and it is now equipped with resources for students, educators and supporters.

One of the most exciting features of the website is the Career Hub, which includes detailed job descriptions of nearly 100 different career opportunities related to the maritime industry. The Explore Pathways tab features careers broken down by sector and includes details such as responsibilities, educational background and estimated annual salary. The Supports Map tab takes users to an interactive map outlining the locations of maritime companies currently hiring.

The Career Hub can also be a resource for teachers. Paired with the new website, WWW is developing lesson plans that educators can utilize in the classroom to help their students pinpoint possible career interests.

“I see it as being an amazing resource for the industry and for people seeking careers in general,” Howard said.

While 2025 was marked with successes, WWW looks forward to the new adventures 2026 will bring. Spring events are being added regularly, and the organization hopes to expand its reach. In a recent board meeting hosted by the Crescent River Port Pilots Foundation, members discussed bringing their efforts to Washington, D.C., to show support for maritime-focused legislation, such as the SHIPS for America Act.

WWW is also focused on developing strong partnerships in the new year to reach as many students as possible with as much knowledge as possible.

“There are definitely a lot of eyes on WWW and what we can do, but I think we have to go about it the way we’ve always done,” Howard said. “It’s a big world, and our industry is small. We’re too small to try to work in silos. We have to collaborate and work together. Our competition isn’t other companies in the industry. It’s other industries beating us to the classroom and making young people aware of the opportunities within them. In order to have that impact, we have to have partnerships and work together.”

WWW board members also discussed the possibility of adding events to the summer calendar. Rather than focusing on students, these Industry Interaction Days would focus on educators to help them feel confident about broaching maritime careers to students. The board also considered the idea of forming a junior advisory council made up of young industry professionals.

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Featured photo caption: Golding Barge Line human resources director Casey Stubbs discusses his company’s man overboard station at a We Work The Waterways Industry Interaction Day in Vicksburg, Miss. (Photo courtesy of We Work The Waterways)