I am a upcoming senior in a high school in Illinois. I will be applying for the class incoming for the fall of 2014. I have done a lot of research on all the other academies and I have also visited GLMA and completely fell in love with it. I understood that it has a very hands on approach to learning. I am worried though that i will have a huge debt to pay when i get out. Not to sound like its all about the money, but is it easy to find a job out of the academy, do engineers get payed well, how much does a 3rd assistant engineer make? , and lastly whats the best way to get promoted quickly as an engineer?
I think you’ll find that as an engineer in the maritime business you’ll be paid well enough to cover your college debts easily, but actual rate of pay depends entirely on the company that hires you. A small company might pay you $60k per year, at a bigger one you might find yourself making $90k or much more. Getting a job as an engineer isn’t usually much of a problem as there are more jobs than qualified individuals to fill them. The key is to be persistent, to be prepared to work hard and be away from home, and to be ready to keep your head down and learn what others have to teach you. Approach the career with the right attitude and you can find all kinds of doors open up for you.
The best way to get promoted as an engineer is to do your work as best you can, learn as much as you can, and keep upgrading your license as soon as you get enough sea time to do it. Remember that you will be stuck on a ship with people from all walks of life. Being the sort of person who gets along well with others will help make your life easier onboard ship. That, and putting 100% into every task you do, will put your name higher up on the list when it comes time for promotions.
Lastly, bear in mind that being a maritime engineer has a few unpleasant duties that go with the job. You’ll be dealing with grease, used oil, bilgewater, and the occasional tank full of human waste. We all get pretty filthy from time to time. It’s not that bad, really, but you won’t be wearing a spiffy white uniform and sunglasses like the guys up on the bridge.
Hope that helps. Good luck.
I would not let the debt issue worry you. If you are a good student and graduate on time you will have your loans paid off in a short time. The % of job placements for engineers is above 90% I would guess.