Is there a lull in the Industry right now?

So I’m a relatively fresh academy graduate, I graduated last year from CMA but due to some complications in life, I’m sitting in the middle of the country now next to Lake Michigan. I wanted to go MSC starting off since I heard in school it was a good way to get you feet wet and I already had some intern experience with them.

I’ve been sitting around waiting on my AB app for a little over 3 1/2 months now and the information I’ve been getting from regularly calling the CSC is making it sound like everyone is trying to get in right now. I don’t really have any contacts in the industry being new and all, so I wanted to throw this out there and see if anyone could give me a hint.

Are there not a lot of jobs floating around right now? Would I be better off looking somewhere else at this point like in the unions or should I stick it out and wait to hear back from them? I was already aware of the 3 month waiting quote but last time I called they said there was no accurate quote at this time due to the influx of apps.

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If you want to get to work asap start looking at the gulf and towing companies. In my opinion it’s better than waiting on the unions or MSC to promote you (which takes wayyy longer than private companies). And once you upgrade you can always join a union.

Hit the gulf. Harvey ECO, Candies etc. on the phone. Pm me and I’ll give you contacts at those 3. Signet is definitely hiring. Join AMO. It’s free and you fill out an online app. Call their dispatch department to introduce yourself. Try PIC observer at Crowley if you don’t have one yet. Try the lakes companies like Grand River Navigation. Cast your net wide. MSC will eventually come through and then you can go there.

I was under the impression that to join AMO you had to pay initiation fees, which were something in the ball park of 4.5k?

Typically up front just monthly dues to join initially. I’d check with the union to know for sure.

You pay nothing until you get work.

Really? What divisions?

Signet Towing? They’re still around? Did they finally give up on the “no tattoos, tobacco, or facial hair” rules?

Not that I know of.

They were hiring for the Corpus harbor assist division, maybe offshore. and I know they were hiring for florida earlier, ABs and mate/master of towing. But yeah still no visible tattoo or beard.

not that i’m looking, but from their site: " * Now hiring for all positions. Please submit inquiries at Careers@SignetMaritime.com"

I have a suspicion that that is just to collect resumes. When they are actually looking they normally post specific jobs available.

Damn I never heard of such a rule at a tugboat! Better not show up for watch in sweats and slippers

Still hiring - but definitely still “no tattoos, no tobacco & no facial hair”

they’ve been posting on Indeed for AB spots

Signets owner is totally against face hair even mustaches to a point he likes to run things military tight and I have seen him come down and fire people for 2 day stubble and you must wear their uniforms
The offshore division only has 3 boats and they are crewed right now
There may be a AB opening on a harbor boat

I bet this really pisses off their Muslim & Orthodox Jew employees.

They don’t have any as far as I know

I hear that Signet is basically a good company, but odd, and idiosyncratic with a born again Christian owner. Firing good employees over two days of stubble sounds like an expensive obsession.

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Don’t the academies do career placement anymore? It is pretty sad to hear about all of these graduates struggling. What do the academy career services do?

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I would be surprised if that has ever happened. He’ll order them to go shave but unless it’s a repeated problem with that person or they outright refuse I doubt he’d fire them.