Article originally published in the Holland Sentinel.

by Austin Metz

Holland, Michigan (January 20, 2024) - Charlie McConkey went from the automotive industry to boat building, and he's never looked back.

Although others at work didn’t enjoy wiring boats, McConkey, a 30-year-old from Cedarville, was always intrigued and eager to solve their problems.

“When I realized how much I enjoyed working on boats, I started researching boat building as a possible career,” McConkey wrote in a release. "I found the Great Lakes Boat Building School and haven’t looked back since.”

His hard work has paid off. McConkey was recently awarded $15,000 in scholarship funds from Holland’s Tiara Yachts. He'll also spent a year working at Tiara, receiving pay and benefits. A second student was awarded the scholarship, but wished to remain anonymous.

The scholarship is a partnership between Tiara Yachts and GLBBS and comes following Tiara's $75,000 gift to GLBBS in 2022.

The scholarship at $15,000 covers almost 70 percent of a student’s tuition. The remaining $45,000 donated helped expand instructional infrastructure at the school, more than doubling its annual graduation capacity to 50 students per year.

“We are proud to partner with the Great Lakes Boat Building School and help the future generation of boat builders gain practical, real-world experience in the industry,” said Tiara Yachts CEO and President Tom Slikkers.

"For nearly 50 years, our company has been committed to producing the best boats possible for our customers. Investing in future generations of boat builders is just one of the many ways we aim to deliver on that promise.”

McConkey said he's had plenty of practical experience at Tiara.

“Tiara Yachts has developed some of the greatest and highest quality boat builders in the world,” he said. “I’m honored to be able to work alongside and learn from them.”

McConkey hopes to continue his education and, one day, go into boat building as a profession.