IYRS Women's Maritime Leadership Academy (WMLA)

A Signature Program of the Maritime Leadership Institute

Learn more about the IYRS Maritime Leadership Institute (MLI).

Developing Talent. Strengthening the Leadership Pipeline. 

 

The Women’s Maritime Leadership Academy (WMLA) is a six-month leadership development experience designed for emerging and mid-career women ready to grow as leaders and take on greater responsibility across maritime and related industries. 

WMLA combines leadership development, self-awareness, structured industry mentoring, peer learning, workplace application, and industry engagement to create a leadership experience grounded in the realities of today’s workplace. 

This is leadership development grounded in the realities of maritime within the blue economy work. 

Participants will strengthen their ability to lead themselves, lead others, navigate change, think strategically, communicate with influence, and contribute at increasingly senior levels within their organizations. 

The Academy brings together women from boatbuilding and repair, marine technology, advanced composites and manufacturing, shipyards, ports and waterfront operations, marine trades, education and training, government, supply chain, professional services, and other industries connected to the maritime economy. 

This is leadership development grounded in the realities of maritime work. 

The maritime industry faces an important leadership and talent pipeline opportunity. Women represent just 16% of the private-sector maritime workforce surveyed, excluding seafarers, according to the 2024 IMO-WISTA Women in Maritime Survey. 

At the same time, employers need talented leaders who can build strong teams, navigate change, retain talent, solve complex problems, and lead organizations forward. 

WMLA is designed to help address that gap by developing and advancing talented women while helping employers strengthen their leadership pipelines for the future. 

The IYRS WMLA is a six-month leadership journey

WMLA is not a one-time training program. It is a progressive leadership journey that gives participants time to learn, apply, reflect, and grow. 

The Academy is anchored by two immersive three-day leadership experiences at IYRS on Newport Harbor, complemented by leadership sessions, structured mentoring, peer engagement, and workplace application. 

And the journey does not end when the Academy concludes. Graduates become part of the lifelong IYRS network, with continued access to relationships, resources, and opportunities designed to support their ongoing leadership development and career advancement. 


What Participants Gain

Leadership Development

Build the skills and confidence to lead people, teams, and organizations through change and growth. 

Greater Self-Awareness  

Understand how you think, communicate, solve problems, and interact with others—and use those insights to become a more adaptable and effective leader. 

Intentional Industry Mentorship 

Develop a meaningful relationship with an accomplished leader who can provide perspective, guidance, and connection throughout your leadership journey. 

Professional Network 

Build lasting relationships with an ambitious cohort of women, mentors, employers, and leaders across maritime and related industries. 

Real-World Application

Apply leadership concepts to actual workplace challenges and immediately put new strategies into practice. 

Leadership Action Plan 

Gain a deeper understanding of your individual leadership strengths, communication style, decision-making approach, and how you engage and collaborate with others. Apply these insights throughout the Academy to strengthen your effectiveness as a leader and build more productive relationships across teams and organizations. 

Leave the Academy with a personalized Leadership Action Plan—a roadmap that brings together greater self-awareness with clearly defined leadership goals, development priorities, relationships to cultivate, and actionable next steps for continued growth and career advancement. 


The Employer Advantage 

Invest in Your People. Strengthen Your Leadership Pipeline. 

The strongest organizations are those that can identify, develop, advance, and retain exceptional talent. 

WMLA gives employers a meaningful way to invest in high-potential women while developing the leadership capabilities their organizations need for the future. 

Employers benefit by: 

  • Developing and retaining high-potential employees 

  • Strengthening leadership and succession pipelines 

  • Building stronger managers and team leaders 

  • Increasing employee engagement and workforce resilience 

  • Supporting recruitment and retention strategies 

  • Expanding leadership capacity across the organization 

  • Demonstrating a commitment to developing women in maritime and related industries 

When you invest in your people, you invest in the future of your organization. 

 

Building Stronger Leaders. Strengthening the Industry.  

The future of maritime will be shaped by the people who lead it. 

As maritime and related industries evolve, employers need leaders who can develop talent, embrace innovation, navigate change, solve complex problems, and bring people together around a common purpose. 

The IYRS Maritime Leadership Institute is building that leadership capacity—one professional, one organization, and one generation at a time. 

WMLA is more than a leadership program. It is an investment in people, organizations, and the leadership pipeline our industry needs for the future. 

Together, we can develop a stronger, more resilient maritime workforce ready for what comes next. 

Grow Your Leadership 

Ready to take the next step in your leadership journey? 

Join the interest list for program updates, application information,
and upcoming opportunities. 

Join the WMLA
interest list 

Invest in Your People

Identify and support a high-potential woman within your organization while strengthening your leadership pipeline. 
 

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AN EMPLOYEE