Record award goes to 165 local students in port-related fields

The Port of Long Beach presented a record of almost $400,000 in scholarships to 165 local high school and college students to study and train in port-related fields including engineering, environmental science, maritime law and technical trades.

The scholarships were announced during Celebrating Education, an annual event that brings together students, educators, policymakers and business leaders to highlight the Port’s education and workforce outreach programs while also recognizing the accomplishments of students involved. The event also honored the 2026 class of 31 summer high school interns.

“Building the Port of the Future starts now by recruiting and training the local workforce who will build and operate the cutting-edge infrastructure that will allow us to move cargo more quickly, efficiently and sustainably,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba. “Our education and workforce development programs continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our local students as we build the next generation of leaders at the Port of Long Beach.”

“We made a decision that education is at the core of what we do at the Port,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “Scholarships are an important tool to make sure we nurture tomorrow’s workforce, grown from our own community, benefiting our neighbors and ultimately making our city better.”

Since 1993, the Port has awarded about $2.6 million in scholarships to students pursuing careers in international trade and goods movement. This year’s scholarships went to students from local high schools, Long Beach City College, Cal State Long Beach, Orange Coast College, and Cal Poly Maritime Academy.

High school pathway programs are a significant part of the Port of Long Beach’s education outreach, offering an on-campus curriculum for Long Beach-area students to pursue careers in the goods movement industry.

Almost 1,000 students are enrolled in three programs the Port maintains with the Long Beach Unified School District:

• The Academy of Global Logistics at Cabrillo High School, opened in 2016 and focusing on the business and economics of trade
• The ACE Academy at Jordan High School (Advanced Manufacturing, Construction and Engineering) launched in 2021 for students interested in careers in advanced manufacturing, construction and engineering
• And the new NOVA at Long Beach Polytechnic High. NOVA (Next-Gen Opportunities in Vehicles and Alternative Energy) gives students the opportunity to explore the exciting world of clean energy, smart technology and sustainable innovation.