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Brazil- 2007
School Preserves Brazilian Shipbuilding Tradition, Creates Career Opportunities
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A partnership between Alcoa's Alumar facility and the Brazilian state of Maranhão is preserving the region's ancient tradition of shipbuilding while providing training and career opportunities for the area's younger generation.
At 400 miles (640 kilometers) in length, the coastline of Maranhão is the second longest in Brazil. Fishing and passenger and cargo transportation remain the pillars of the state's economy and are conducted using a variety of indigenous wooden boats made by hand by local, independent artisans scattered throughout the often remote region. Many of these artisans are elderly, working in harsh tropical conditions and living in extreme poverty—a situation that has discouraged young people's interest in learning the trade.
In 1986, a research project on the boats of Maranhão sought to preserve the region's naval construction techniques, which were passed down orally from father to son without the use of drawings or designs. From this emerged a proposal to create a training center for naval construction as a means to preserve the traditional techniques and create the next generation of shipbuilders.
Alumar and the Department of Science and Technology of Maranhão partnered to make this a reality, and the Shipyard School opened on a riverbank in Sítio Tamancão in December 2006. A US$500,000 grant from Alumar in 2007 to the Department of Science and Technology was used, in part, to develop professional courses at the school to train carpenters, painters, blacksmiths, mechanics, and other tradespeople required for shipbuilding activities.
Today, 300 students are enrolled in courses at the school, with local shipbuilding artisans serving as instructors. The initial goals are to graduate 25 professionals within 18 months and build prototypes of 15 different local boats as a means to teach construction techniques. The boats also may be sold to generate income for the students and maintenance of the school.
"Before attending this school, I had learned the art from my grandfather," said Ricardo Melo. "The school has given me great support, and I can now share my knowledge since I am currently working as a teacher. The school is also very important to the community, especially to young people who are without any kind of occupation."
Adds Maria Jezibel Pinheiro do Nascimento, "This school works like a cultural rescuer of Maranhão State, providing great opportunities for students and the community."
In addition to its educational role, the Shipyard School is one of the newest tourist spots in the region, offering a museum, shipbuilding displays, and craft expositions produced by the students.
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