I am shipping out this week to Honolulu to work as an AB Cook for ECO. I don’t know the ship name I am assigned to yet all I know is it is an anchor ship based on Honolulu. I would like to hear from anyone who has worked for Edison [B]Chouest[/B] in Honolulu or elsewhere as to what to expect, tips for success with the company, ect.
Currently I hold a 100 ton Master, Basic Safety, Lifeboatman and AB Unlimited (without RFPNW but hoping they will upgrade me)
Looking forward to hearing from current and former employees. My ultimate goal is to build my Master’s ticket / Mate.
I am pretty sure you are going to the Dove. I don’t really know any of the bridge personnel over there, but it should be interesting. If you go there with a good attitude, work hard and do a good job. I am sure they will be willing to help you get your RFPNW. The beauty of it is you can start attending their training facility and start knocking out STCW classes required for you Mate OSV…get that and get your Master OSV. I say you could be in the wheelhouse in less than a year and a half. Good luck, I know you can do it.
Thanks Capt Lee, I am really excited about the opportunity. I have a military background and thrive in a structured, hard working environment. I have the support of my family and the will and desire to succeed. Edison Chouest sounds like a great company, really on top of things with a solid business plan, that I like. I will gladly take any schools they offer as my eventual goal is Unlimited Master Oceans some day. Do they just have the one training facility in LA? or is there training available in Hawaii?
They only have the training center in LA. I know there was another AB/Cook on there doing the same things you want to do. From what I understand he has being doing well and on his way to the bridge, too. Chouest is a great company especially for a motivated individual that wants to move up like yourself.
Thank you for the info. I fly into NOLA tomorrow afternoon then physical and such Monday and rigging / safety classes. I imagine they will then fly me out to Honolulu later in the week.
Excuse the rookie questions but I am wondering if I would have email access or internet on ship? Does she sail with one or two cooks on board? I imagine 12 hour shifts would be the norm (not that it really matters because I am used to working 44 hours straight with a 2-3 hour nap in the middle coming from the charter fishing side, so anything less than 44 hrs would be a gift to me
I am pretty sure you will have internet, but I really don’t know. There should be two cooks working 12 hour shifts and you may have a galley hand also. The way I understand it you will have a ton of dock time on that thing.
[QUOTE=Mr 100-ton;27392]not sure if the C-commander is still in hawaii, i heard that it went back to louisiana but could be wrong[/QUOTE]
Not C-Commander bro…C-Commando, different boat… he said it’s an Anchor boat so he’s going to the Dove…that boat has a gravy job. Success at ECO is like success everywhere else… do your job to the best of your ability, be pleasant to be around, sky is the limit.
[QUOTE=Capt. Lee;27363]They only have the training center in LA. I know there was another AB/Cook on there doing the same things you want to do. From what I understand he has being doing well and on his way to the bridge, too. Chouest is a great company especially for a motivated individual that wants to move up like yourself.[/QUOTE]
If it is the dove the master on there is a real good guy. He was my mate 10 years ago. As far as Africa and Brazil, spots are wide open for people. For the last 4 years I worked in Brazil and we were always trying to get people. If you are an officer and want to go to Brazil they will be more than happy to take you. There were over 80 vessels there when I left in December. They can’t get enough people.
