Voltage Vessels, MEDB, and Mama Corp launch internship program at Pāʻia Sugar Mill   

A new internship partnership involving the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB), maritime start-up Voltage Vessels and Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (Mama Corp) launched at Pāʻia Sugar Mill, giving Maui students an opportunity to gain real-world experience at the intersection of advanced manufacturing, engineering, environmental science and Hawai‘i’s growing technology industry.

An inaugural group of twenty interns brought diverse interests and skills while gaining firsthand experience. Working directly with Voltage Vessels, the students were fully immersed in the development of advanced maritime systems and manufacturing capabilities being built on Maui.

“We were incredibly appreciative of every intern and participant who stepped into this work,” says Sam Young, Founder and CEO of Voltage Vessels. “Twenty young people brought curiosity, discipline, and fresh thinking across a variety of talents, including engineering, environmental science, research, design, marine interests, fabrication, and commercialized thinking. They helped move real projects forward, and that is exactly the kind of talent pipeline Hawaiʻi needs.” Since the internship concluded, Pāʻia Sugar Mill is proud to announce an inaugural scholarship fund to help continue the internship program and provide advanced manufacturing opportunities to students for years to come.

The partnership among MEDB, Pāʻia Sugar Mill, Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (MAMA Corp) and Voltage Vessels demonstrates the potential of connecting Maui students directly with emerging industries and innovative companies. By creating opportunities for students to collaborate with professionals, the program helps bridge classroom learning and career experience while exposing young people to pathways they may not otherwise encounter.

“This program provides students with an inside look at how engineering and technical concepts move from research and development toward real-world applications,” says Young.

Building Maui’s Next Generation of Advanced Manufacturing Innovation

The internship program comes at a time when Voltage Vessels is expanding its vision for large-format additive manufacturing and maritime technology, and Pāʻia Sugar Mill is beginning to cultivate its advanced manufacturing village that facilitates and fosters local manufacturing, diversified agriculture, skilled jobs, and local businesses. 

“This is about more than technology,” says Dan Ellis, Founder of Pacific Millworks, and leading the Pāʻia Sugar Mill as an advanced manufacturing hub. “We want to build a future where advanced manufacturing, innovation, education, and Hawaiian culture can come together in a meaningful way. Developing that future requires partnerships — with students, educators, industry, cultural practitioners, and the broader Maui community.”

For the interns, the experience offered an opportunity to explore distinct aspects of a rapidly evolving industry and see how their individual interests can contribute to complex projects. The internship also highlights the importance of collaboration among Maui organizations working to strengthen the island’s educational, entrepreneurial, and economic ecosystem.

For more information about the Pāʻia Sugar Mill, visit www.paiamill.com. For more information about Voltage Vessels, visit: https://voltagevessels.com/.