Hello everyone. Fairly new to the site, and I have a couple questions regarding apprentice mates.
I would really like to know if anyone has any insight on Mcallister’s hiring methods pertaining to apprentice mates? Does anyone know if Mcallister or any company for that matter would hire someone like myself on as an AB, and allow me to spend time in the Wheelhouse to learn and work on my TOAR? I currently hold a 200GRT (500 ITC) Master Near Coastal. Apprentice Mate of Towing, Radar Unlimited, AB Unlimited, STCW-95 Basic Safety, RFPNW. I have worked on conventional and z-drive tugs all within the same company. I was recently laid off before I could start working on my TOAR. My hopes ( along with a lot of other people) is to find information on a company that may look for people like myself who would like to work on the deck and really learn the trade first… and someone who has credentials in hand ready to advance within the company when the opportunity presents itself ? I was also curious to what some of you think about showing up at the office with resume in hand, hoping for a interview? Is this frowned upon? All thoughts and insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance.
If that’s your wish, you should be banging on doors and trying to get in [I]anywhere[/I] at entry level. Once you’re in, you make a point to show a willingness to learn and work. It’s not likely they will hire you specifically to train, you’ll be lucky if you get a decking job, start from there. After you’ve demonstrated effort and your wish to train known, you should take every opportunity to shadow the wheelhouse when you’re off-watch and ask questions and absorb all you can. No one will drag you into the pilothouse to learn your trade, you have to make the effort. It should be said that you have to be aware many wheelhouse people need to see if you understand what’s going on down on deck long before they will allow you to take the wheel. It can be frustrating but it’s worth putting in the time. There’s the union issue with some outfits, and work conditions in others. McAllister handles all kinds of work and could be a good place to start. You’ve got nothing to lose by knocking on the door.
In addition to the previous post, what ever company you do work for must have a Designated Examiner (DE) for you to work under. In the ‘apprentice steersman’ program all your TOAR, and RFPNW MUST be signed off by a DE. Signatures by non DE’s are totally useless. I have found there are alot of companies who don’t bother with the process of getting their masters into the DE program. Their loss, so don’t get caught short by working for an unprofessional company.
However, in this economy, ANY job is a Godsend and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Besides the license requirements, aren’t the only other DE requirements reading a 13 page booklet?
What McAllister port are you looking to get on with? Staten Island? They might hire you as an AB and if you get assigned to the right boat with the right captain who has his DE and will show you how to do stuff you can get your TOAR signed off. But be ready to go to the end of a long line of ABs who already have their Mate of Towing and are waiting for someone to die/retire/get fired. Good luck and dont get stuck on mac there are other places to look.
Thank you all for the feed back. I really do appreciate all the insight. I have been working relief work for the last two years overseas on ship (currently on now) sailing as an AB. 4 months on 3 months off. It’s relief work, no benefits, but it has been steady. I am just trying to gather information on some companies that may have more Designated Examiners than others, and may like someone who has a few credentials ready to go. . I am thankful for the relief work I have now, but my hopes are to work on tugs again and be closer to the family.I am also trying to be well informed before I try and make a move, to get back to doing what I really enjoy…working on tugs. I have three months off at a time, so I will be knocking on some doors as Captbbrucado mentioned in his post above. I am open to any port with Macallister. The real reason I mentioned them is because they are up and down the whole east coast. I would work any port as I am willing to move if need be, work as preferably an AB but I would also work as an OS. I just want my foot in the door, and I will put as much time in as needed to get to where I want to be. Also I like the fact Macallister has wire boats and tugs doing ship work. I think this would be a great way to help with the TOAR process, since they have the wire boats to get signed off on, and possibly in the future be able to move to ship work to learn that whole other sector of the trade. Again I do really appreciate all the feed back, good, bad, and the ugly. I am ready and willing to work. Been on the deck for 5 years and will put in another if that’s what it takes.
That… and be willing to sign on the dotted line. I am amazed at how many skippers who are fearful and actually scared to sign someone off!
It’s a shame more Tug Captains aren’t aware of the DE letter and how easy it is to acquire. We need to be training as many young people as possible to take our place. The reluctance to provide a signature may have more to do with a fear of liability than anything else. The DE’s signature isn’t any different than a Marine Chemist’s …It attests to the candidate being qualified at the moment the signature was granted, it doesn’t guarantee the candidate won’t ever have an incident. As a signatory to a candidate’s TOAR, you’ve attested to his competence at the time he performed the evolution, it’s not a PhD, it’s meant to prove he met the/your minimum standard safely.
I have held a DE for the last 9 years or so, since it first came out. Back then the c,ompany I was with pushed every qualified Captain to get it. Since then I have had 2 people come to me with the desire to demonstrate that they could preform the items in the TOAR. They even have schools now that sign off on the TOAR. Now how you can demonstrate that you can preform the task in a school room is beyond me, it is still “approved”.
Good luck with McAllister and watch your back.
I just took a online class through PMI to go with my letter for applying for the DE. The class was only 4hrs just a FYI.
I have actually been called at home and asked (seriously) if I would sign off a guy… just because he knew someone I know! There must be some out there doing this. But I can’t agree if I haven’t seen it done. I think this is indicative of how some feel: 'Since I know how to run (fill in the blank) how hard can it be to run a ‘little ole tug?’
[QUOTE=tugboat146;48956]I have held a DE for the last 9 years or so, since it first came out. Back then the c,ompany I was with pushed every qualified Captain to get it. Since then I have had 2 people come to me with the desire to demonstrate that they could preform the items in the TOAR. They even have schools now that sign off on the TOAR. Now how you can demonstrate that you can preform the task in a school room is beyond me, it is still “approved”.
Good luck with McAllister and watch your back.[/QUOTE]
Some assessments can be done on a simulator, and a few DEs are employed at schools and do assessments on the simulator. Also, some schools, including maritime academies, do not need to do some of the general tasks in the TOAR because they are also qualifying for STCW and doing assessments that are comparable for STCW. They have to dl o all of part D of the TOAR, ther manuevering and handling section. See NMC Policy Letter 04-03.
[QUOTE=seadog!;48925]Besides the license requirements, aren’t the only other DE requirements reading a 13 page booklet?[/QUOTE]
It is not difficult for an experienced Captain to be approved as a DE. All that’s needed is a letter asking for approval with a resume or sim,ilar description of towing experience and experience providing training (this can be informal training to crew members). either e-m,ail to D08-DG-NMCCourses@uscg,mil (the 2nd character is a zero) or mail to:
National Maritime Center (NMC-2)
100 Forbes Drive
Martinsburg, WV 25404
With the Tugboat U program that McAllister and Reinauer participated in many of the Captains (and a number of the Mates) are DE’s. Both companies were making a significant investment in their personnel and having DE’s on the boat was instrumental in the success of that investment.
Dont forget about Moran, they and many other big east coast companies, have wire boats as well.
Mr Cavo-
Would the same email address and request be used as a DE for RFPEW?
[QUOTE=seadog!;52436]Mr Cavo-
Would the same email address and request be used as a DE for RFPEW?[/QUOTE]
DE requests should be e-mailed to NMC at D05-DG-NMCCourses@uscg.mil (the 2nd character is a zero)
[QUOTE=tugboat146;48956]I have held a DE for the last 9 years or so, since it first came out. Back then the c,ompany I was with pushed every qualified Captain to get it. Since then I have had 2 people come to me with the desire to demonstrate that they could preform the items in the TOAR. They even have schools now that sign off on the TOAR. Now how you can demonstrate that you can preform the task in a school room is beyond me, it is still “approved”.
Good luck with McAllister and watch your back.[/QUOTE]
There are several of the TOARs that can be authentically assessed in classroom or simulation. I’ve come up with a list of the part “D” TOARs which I’m willing to sign off in a simulator. That list is pretty short. It’s important to me as a DE that most of the part “D” TOARs are done in real life. I’ve heard of one academy that does part “D” with wooden models on a table top, but haven’t verified that rumor.
The only DE is of towing vessels. All you need to be an assessor for RFPNW/RFPEW is the appropriate STCW rating and to have read the assessors manual. (Old thread, I know. I just felt that should be pointed out.)
That requirement is to be an assessor for stcw, not a designated examiner for towing vessels.