How does subject said sailor go about the arduous task of bringing awareness to the public and private high schools of the USA so we might actually have a sustainable growth of USMM?
I have read articles in Workboat Mag about high school vocational classes in La. for OSV and inland tug careers. Don’t know if they still offer that or how much interest there was, but at least someone saw the need to enlighten our youth that there is an entire industry out there no one knows anything about.
It’s ridiculous that one of Americas famous past times, the steel bridge, has all but been forgotten about. Gotta figure an approach that’s realistic and able to be accomplished.
[QUOTE=OBXmariner;143307]How does subject said sailor go about the arduous task of bringing awareness to the public and private high schools of the USA so we might actually have a sustainable growth of USMM?[/QUOTE]
Seems to me that if you approach schools and teachers directly, tell them about the historical, social, economic, and political significance of the maritime industry, you might actually get some traction. It would be especially helpful if you offer to give a presentation, compile accessible and age-appropriate material, and otherwise take an active role in the legwork so it’s not just dumped on the teachers.
Absolutely. I’m on that! But how can it be done on a national level. Should the use of social media be utilized? In what capacity? I’ve approached some high school administration in a former manner before with much success but I’d like to start up again but on a much much larger scale.
You’re taking on a monster. The forces against the USMM involve involve a large, well oiled, concerted effort in print, news, and online. Anything of significance that has the possibility of swaying the public mind is going to attract the ire of the insidious cancer that means to destabilize, deconstruct, and off shore every good thing about this country. It’s the way things are. It’s what stops me from moving forward. If I can think of a way that makes the common American feel the need for a strong merchant fleet, then I would be all over this because the hard truth is undermining the Jones Act will provide lower shipping costs. That doesn’t bother most people. They feel no shame shopping at WalMart, going to the Caribbean on vacation, or watching their neighbors go without insurance; the majority only cares about themselves and if that means someone has to suffer so they can save a few pennies than so be it.
I’m on your side. I just don’t understand what message you mean to share with the world and feel by slightly arguing with you I might get a stronger sense what you’re on about.
Very well put sir. I just want kids in every high school in our nation to know about the USMM and the possibilities of employment it can offer and a brief history. I believe if Americans know we do a great job and enjoy it we can bring more positive advocacy for us as a whole. Yes there will be negative personalities to contend with but I think as a whole the Americans still want US shipping. They just assume it’s handled by Americans. I talk to people all the time who have no clue how the earth turns, we are the cogs on the wheel of the supply and delivery machine for American commerce and protection. If those high school students tell there relatives then word keeps spreading. That’s my view. Now I gotta figure cost effective way to implement my strategy.
I’m from a small town on the shore of Lake Michigan. During my 3rd year at Great Lakes Maritime Academy I went back to my high school and set up a table in the lunch room with banners and handed out brochures and tried to tell people about the Maritime industry. The high school has probably 1,100 students,after sitting for 3 different lunches and almost an hour and a half, I had only one student come up and talk to me and seem genuinely interested. It turns out he had an older mentor who was a mariner and recommended the career path to the 16 year old. Most people don’t give a shit about a true career path in high school. Most end up going to college to study History or some other topic that interests them.
I’m currently putting together a power point for some high school engineering classes on DP and offshore operations. I think the key to attracting highschool kids is targeting the narrow segment that would be interested and aren’t already involved in any kind if working waterfront.
[QUOTE=OBXmariner;143322]Very well put sir. I just want kids in every high school in our nation to know about the USMM and the possibilities of employment it can offer and a brief history. I believe if Americans know we do a great job and enjoy it we can bring more positive advocacy for us as a whole. Yes there will be negative personalities to contend with but I think as a whole the Americans still want US shipping. They just assume it’s handled by Americans. I talk to people all the time who have no clue how the earth turns, we are the cogs on the wheel of the supply and delivery machine for American commerce and protection. If those high school students tell there relatives then word keeps spreading. That’s my view. Now I gotta figure cost effective way to implement my strategy.[/QUOTE]
I think that’s a great idea! If I had known about this industry when I was younger I would’ve jumped straight in. For me, coming from a port city, I used to see those big ships rolling up and down the Delaware River think how cool it would be to work on one of those things. I was vocal about it with friends and family but every ship coming into Philly seems to be foreign so I just assumed that all the overseas work was done by foreigners and left it at that. Years later and after one college degree, the internet gave me the scoop and so now here I am. Like I said, I wish I had known earlier in life that the USMM has plenty of work to go around, not just tugs (which is what I though Americans were limited to) but also big ships (which is what I like).
So how do you do it? I can tell you that my cousin was recruited by KP so I know from experience that there is a little bit of advertising effort. Though to be fair he was raised in a gated community in Ft. Lauderdale and went to a very prestigious high school. I doubt KP would even dare enter my high school. Anyways…so yeah getting the word out nationally would most likely be expensive. I don’t see how that can be done with out a team of people pushing the word out whether through ads, mailers, brochures, Youtube ads, Facebook, or even Google advertising. I think any one of those pathways will cost a few shekels.
[QUOTE=GLMASailor;143333]I’m from a small town on the shore of Lake Michigan. During my 3rd year at Great Lakes Maritime Academy I went back to my high school and set up a table in the lunch room with banners and handed out brochures and tried to tell people about the Maritime industry. The high school has probably 1,100 students,after sitting for 3 different lunches and almost an hour and a half, I had only one student come up and talk to me and seem genuinely interested. It turns out he had an older mentor who was a mariner and recommended the career path to the 16 year old. Most people don’t give a shit about a true career path in high school. Most end up going to college to study History or some other topic that interests them.[/QUOTE]
Maybe you just picked the wrong neighborhood. I went to a bad high school where most people don’t go very far in life. While they are the same as your experience in that they don’t give a shit about their future career, the difference is college is not even on the radar. If a presentation can convince those kids to leave the neighborhood ( a feat much harder than you think) then I think a lot of kids from my neighborhood would get psyched on marine employment.
-
-
- Updated - - -
-
[QUOTE=Traitor Yankee;143334]I’m currently putting together a power point for some high school engineering classes on DP and offshore operations. I think the key to attracting highschool kids is targeting the narrow segment that would be interested and aren’t already involved in any kind if working waterfront.[/QUOTE]
That’s so cool you’re doing that. Have you piqued anyone’s interest yet?
A good place to focus on would be the TAP classes they give departing Navy and Coast Guard (transitional assistance)
When I went to TAP years ago, there was a presentation from various vocational groups and help with your resume, but I don’t recall anyone from MSC or any other maritime entity.
And I was in Norfolk!
Anyone get out recently? Has this changed?
I got out in 2006 and remember the class was called SEPS, or something to that effect. When I decided to get out, mind you, I went out pretty fast and went from a 4.0 loser to a disgruntled cynic really quick. I attended SEPS just long enough to get a signature then left. However, I think the Navy/Coast Guard would be a good source. My favorite part of the job back in those days was as OOD. I can’t be the only one. Just tell a bunch of officers that the USMM is like OOD with 1/5 the people on board, ten times the urgency, and 1/3 the bull shit. The few guys I keep in touch with who got out went on to jobs off the water. I think if they would have preferred knowing about marine opportunities just as much as I would have .
[QUOTE=OBXmariner;143319]Absolutely. I’m on that! But how can it be done on a national level. Should the use of social media be utilized? In what capacity? I’ve approached some high school administration in a former manner before with much success but I’d like to start up again but on a much much larger scale.[/QUOTE]
I wouldn’t worry about the national level until we’ve made progress at the local level. The most advantageous course I can see is starting low, growing state and local organizations, then forming a national coalition to pool resources and access.
I make my self available and speak with lots of Boy Scouts, Sea Cadets and Venture Scouts about what I do and the benefits of the USMM. They seem pretty receptive, there is also a sea based high school about an hour away. I’m going to be reaching out to them next time I get home.
Back at my old high school in 'Bama in the 80s (and I think it is still going on at the present area high school) we had a Marine Technologies Class. He had several different courses depending on which period you had he class. There was Rules of the Road, Chart Plotting, Radar Observer, Diesel Mechanics, Welding, and several others. Where a lot of schools have wood shop or auto mechanics shop, we had all of the above. The instructor wanted to give the local boys another option outside of commercial fishing as that is where a lot ended up dropping out of school and going to. Since every kid there grew up on the water it was a good fit. I think a lot of these backwater towns on every coast has the potential to make that class successful. They don’t have to sell the students the romance of a life on the water because it’s already in their blood. They only need to interest them in wanting to expand and professionalize what they already know.
Feh…why bother?
If you sound like you’re trying to sell them something, they’ll tune you out. Look at the percentage of Maritime academy grads that are actually working on ships just 5 years after graduating.
When I was in Seafarers, those idiots always tried the same tired old lines and got the same tired old results. It never seemed to occur to them that unions fighting for wage increases for non-union workers wasn’t just the height of mental retardation, but actually worked to decrease the membership. Let the slob operating the Fry-o-lator for starvation wages look at our late-model trucks and cars and see a USMM sticker on it, let them see the nice homes that we live in, compared to the garden apartment he shares with some roomate, let him see us enjoying our generous off-time while he lives for Saturday morning…if he has any brains and gumption at all, he’ll figure it out for himself…and isn’t THAT the kind of person we want to work with, as opposed to some matriculating herd-animal?
The IT sector did almost NO recruiting in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and instead just let the salaries and the lifestyle do the talking.
Thanks everybody. Great advice.
[QUOTE=catherder;143355]A good place to focus on would be the TAP classes they give departing Navy and Coast Guard (transitional assistance)
When I went to TAP years ago, there was a presentation from various vocational groups and help with your resume, but I don’t recall anyone from MSC or any other maritime entity.
And I was in Norfolk!
Anyone get out recently? Has this changed?[/QUOTE]
I go out of the marines just under three months ago and when i went through SEPS there was nothing on the USMM and the person running the class looked at me cross eyed when I told him that pursuing a career as a Merchant Mariner was what i intended to do. He had no idea what I was talking about.
[QUOTE=trcb89;143431]I go out of the marines just under three months ago and when i went through SEPS there was nothing on the USMM and the person running the class looked at me cross eyed when I told him that pursuing a career as a Merchant Mariner was what i intended to do. He had no idea what I was talking about.[/QUOTE]
I’m not surprised they gave you a blank stare by picking an option off the list. I was based in Groton and put in the paperwork to get out when my boat was in drydock up in Portsmouth. The Navy worked with me and transferred me to some bullshit job back in Groton so I could go through the separation process easier. At the BS job, I was with a couple of other guys who were also getting out and were actively seeking employment outside the military, going through all the SEPS like a good sailor should. I don’t remember anyone of them ever talking about being offered USMM positions. For me, my plan was to travel around South America for a long, long time. So I did. The thought of working, my future… all that stuff was put on hold. I got similar looks from people, the blank-deer-in-the-headlights type of thing, when I said I was going to take a long, long break from life without a timeline, direction, or thoughts of any goals. So like I was saying in an earlier post, since I was not personally seeking future employment, I refused awareness of all options; however, the time I spent alongside other people separating the military with me failed to present any seaborne opportunities.
Looking back, I wish USMM was offered. I went in the Navy because I liked being on the water. One would think it would find some people who like being on the water from the, I don’t know, the waterfront? Across the Thames River from Groton was/is the Coast Guard Academy. I wonder if they were offered USMM jobs on separation?