National Museum of the Great Lakes Hosts Second Annual Maritime Career Day — Now Open to the Public
October 8, 2025 (Toledo, Ohio) – The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) is inviting the media and community members to attend its second annual Maritime Career Day, presented by World Group Foundation, on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at the museum, located at 1701 Front Street in Toledo, Ohio.
Maritime Career Day is an interactive workforce development event that introduces students in grades 7–12, as well as the public, to the vast career opportunities connected to the Great Lakes.
From 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, more than 300 students are expected to explore career booths, engage with industry professionals, and participate in hands-on activities. New this year, the event will also open to the public from 1:30 to 2:30 pm, giving community members the chance to meet with career partners and learn more about maritime and related industries.
Last year’s inaugural Maritime Career Day brought together over 300 students and 30 career partners representing fields such as shipping, environmental science, archaeology, travel and tourism, recreation, and other related fields. There are already nearly 450 students registered for 2025, making it a unique opportunity for media to cover the region’s students and community members engaging directly with Great Lakes professionals.
“If you can see it, you can be it. That’s our goal with Maritime Career Day—to introduce students and the community to Great Lakes careers by literally putting these opportunities right in front of them,” said Kate Fineske, Executive Director of the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “We’re opening real doors and showcasing the possibilities that exist in industries many people don’t even realize are connected to our region.”
Event Highlights:
⚓ Career Booths: Meet professionals representing a wide range of industries, both in the museum and onboard the Col. James M. Schoonmaker museum ship.
⚓ Career Passports: Students and attendees will receive passports to collect stamps from different stations. Completed passports can be entered for prizes.
⚓ Community Engagement: For the first time, the public is invited to explore Great Lakes career opportunities from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
This event is free to attend. Media outlets are encouraged to cover this inspiring day that showcases how Great Lakes careers are helping to shape the region’s workforce and economy.
About the National Museum of the Great Lakes: The National Museum of the Great Lakes preserves, shares, and celebrates the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story. As an interactive, experiential museum, we offer visitors the chance to explore thousands of years of history and stories through nine dynamic exhibit galleries—including a rotating temporary exhibition space—and two historic museum vessels, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio, plus the pilothouse of the storied St. Marys Challenger.
Founded in 1944 as the Great Lakes Historical Society, we have a long-standing commitment to education, research, and storytelling. Our initiatives include the publication of Inland Seas®, a quarterly journal of Great Lakes history since 1945, and decades of maritime preservation and archaeological exploration. Today, we strive to be the gathering place for Great Lakes conversations—welcoming all to connect with the stories, people, and innovations that have shaped and continue to influence this vital region.
WHAT: Maritime Career Day
WHEN: Tuesday, October 28; 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
WHERE: National Museum of the Great Lakes
1701 Front St., Toledo, OH 43605
MEDIA CONTACT: Ashley Streichert Lovejoy, 419-460-8181
