PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Hundreds of college students are putting their engineering skills to the test on the Elizabeth River this week, racing high-tech, battery-powered boats designed to mirror the future of maritime and defense industries.
More than 300 students from 45 universities across the country have spent the last six months designing, building, and testing vessels for the Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) collegiate boat competition in Portsmouth.
The event features autonomous, remote-controlled, and manned boats, all powered by electric systems.
“We’re at the end of a long build season,” said Michael Briscoe with the American Society of Naval Engineers. “The PEP Workforce Development Program has colleges across the country building and racing boats. And so this is the race.”
Now in its sixth year, the program is aimed at preparing students for careers in engineering, manufacturing, energy, and national defense, industries that are especially critical in Hampton Roads, home to one of the largest naval hubs in the world.
Briscoe said the impact is already clear. Graduates of the program are landing jobs with major employers, including positions in autonomy, manufacturing, and energy companies such as Dominion Energy, as well as commissioning directly into military service.
“If we look at what the American Navy is going to look like in five years, it’s going to have a lot of features that we’re going to be racing out in the water in the next two to three days,” Briscoe said. “That’s pretty exciting.”
For students, the competition offers more than just hands-on experience; it can open doors to careers.
Luke Saletta, a student at Stevens Institute of Technology and last year’s winner in the manned planning division, said the competition helped him land an internship at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, where he worked on real ship design projects.
“Building this boat is living on the cutting edge,” Saletta said. “It’s really interesting to be working on something that has never been done before, never been done at these speeds successfully by student engineering teams.”
Organizers say the competition also emphasizes teamwork, problem-solving, and risk management skills that go beyond the classroom and are in high demand by employers.
The Hampton Roads Workforce Council is partnering with the event. They're connecting students directly with companies looking to hire interns and entry-level engineers.
“Through PEP, we’re showcasing innovation, and we’re actively building the talent pipeline that Virginia and our nation’s maritime industry depend on," said Christina Brooks, the Senior Director for the Community Initiatives with the Hampton Roads Worksforce Council.
“We can never have enough of them, looking to hire students as interns or entry-level careers,” Briscoe said. “These students are ready to work hard.”
The races are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday, April 15 and 16, at Portsmouth City Park. The event is free and open to the public.
