Miami Shipyard RMK Merrill-Stevens to Hire 75 Staff

Miami shipyard RMK Merrill-Stevens says it is hiring 75 new employees over the next two months to staff its newly renovated North Yard and South Yard. The hiring campaign follows years full of updates after Rahmi M. Koç, a Turkish philanthropist, purchased the shipyard in 2013 while committing to restore the yard to its former glory. RMK Merrill-Stevens is known as the first shipyard in Florida and is now one of the most updated and capable shipyards in the region.

RMK Merrill-Stevens provides yacht service, maintenance and refits to yachts and superyachts from around the world, from 30’ – 230’. The more than $30 million invested in the shipyard has brought new facilities, capabilities, machinery and more, including the largest shiplift in South Florida – a 2,700T Pearlson shiplift.

There are currently 75 open positions and 22 available job types. 

RMK Merrill-Stevens CEO William Clewes says there is a hiring shortage in the industry. “Finding trained, experienced marine technicians has never been more difficult,” he says.

To address this shortage, RMK MS is launching their hiring campaign while working closely with the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF). The MIASF joined forces with the Florida Department of Education and Atlantic Technical College to create the first registered Yacht Service Technician Apprenticeship program.

The Yacht Service Technician Apprenticeship Program was created to develop a “cadre of high-skill/high-wage shipyard service technicians that provides career advancement opportunities and to be a valuable resource for participating employers to help them meet their current and future employment needs.” The program, a two-year course that includes classroom instruction, on-the-job-training, and has no tuition fees, is the first program of its kind registered in Florida. Apprentices in the program learn vital industry-related skills, including shipyard safety, rigging, yacht painting, forklift operation, yacht carpentry and more. RMK MS has received approval from the state of Florida for the apprenticeship program and is in the process of enrolling a current employee.

“My career began in an apprenticeship program, and we’re excited to work with the Yacht Service Technician Apprenticeship Program to help fill current and future needs, and support the marine industry,” Clewes says. “This program is an excellent way to connect needs in the industry with hardworking individuals looking for a long, beneficial career.”