I’ll be hitting my 1080 after my next hitch and plan to start taking that list of oicnw required classes. I was initially gonna get a place near MPT and take em there but one of my officers mentioned since I intend on joining AMO then I should take em at their Star Center. So, can I do that? I was always under the impression that Star Center only served to keep existing officers up to date on their stuff. I’m reluctant to try to converse with random secretary at front desk somewhere regarding questions as I’m never given the proper information that way.
Go to MPT and save yourself the money. You can go to Star Center but it’s more expensive, and they can kick you out at pretty much any time for a union member to take a class.
3 Likes
Also just because you plan on joining AMO when you have a license (that’s a different conversation), taking the courses at their own school has no benefit.
1 Like
Thanks. I had my doubts as it’s never popped up in conversation. I thought maybe it was a “we pay for your classes but you’re contractually obligated to us for 2 years” type of deal. If that’s not the case then MPT would be a faster route to the money. Its a shame that SIU is only a realistic option if stretched over the course of 2 years. Time is money though.
I don’t believe they have that deal - and if they did it would be wayyyy longer than 2 years you owed them.
1 Like
Probably depends on the company you’re with
I did Lifeboatman and Advanced Fire, Medical there as an OS maybe 15 years ago and it was paid for by either the company or was included in our contract.
But the rest I had to take at MPT to get my AB because they didn’t offer them.
Nice facility, good food IIRC.
Went to a union meeting or two, which was a joke.
Me and the now ex wife enjoyed the hot tub quite a bit.
Going from AB to mate I wasn’t with a union and paid out of pocket for the rest so I went to MPT for all of that.
I have a lease in Jacksonville that ends in May. I think I’m gonna try and time it so I can knock a few classes out at Piney Point (if available) then get a rental near MPT and finish up the rest. I was hoping to find a permanent ship or company with decent policies to ease my transition from ab to mate. The fault is mine though as I get calls to come back but I’m reluctant to commit to some of the problematic ships/companies. I should probably stop sailing out of Jacksonville and try the northwest.
You’re going to have a very hard time finding a deep sea company that is going to pay for classes from AB to Mate. If you’re really serious about it, the best way to do it is invest in yourself and pay for the classes out of your pocket.
Why? In the past unions aligned with deep sea companies encouraged progression for unlicensed to licensed. What changed?
It’s hard to join one of the deep sea unions without a license, and trying to count on Piney Point for anything is just a waste of time.
1 Like
That’s unfortunate. Piney Point used to provide the means for unlicensed to progress to licensed. I worked with a few that came up that ladder and they were very good engineers.
1 Like
They still do.
But the classes are not offered frequently. I’ve heard they will cancel them if not enough students are enrolled, and that class may only be offered once more in the year. And when your union pretty much makes you work 8+ months a year, your schedule isn’t very flexible.
1 Like