Just got my acceptance letter Maine Maritime Academy

First of all I would like to thank all members for so many responses to my questions. I have decided to go the academy route only because it seems faster and job placement is 95%.
I have been accepted to the Marine Engineering Operations Major…to get 3rd asst. eng.
I wanted to go the Marine Transportaion Operations route but they have no openings( I wanted to get 3rd mate unlimmeted tonnage.

Questions: job market for 3rd eng versus 3rd mate
starting pay 3rd eng versus 3rd mate

I have 3 friends that work for diamond offshore as 3rd asst eng. (havent asked them what they make)
Thank you for all your knowledge, Royce

Oh, I am age 39 will that pose a problem landing a job, are recruiters looking for young guys right outta school?

[QUOTE=RoyceR;63862]Oh, I am age 39 will that pose a problem landing a job, are recruiters looking for young guys right outta school?[/QUOTE]

First, let me post congratulations, MMA is an excellent Maritime Academy, you will receive all the proper training to be either an Engineer or Mate. However, there is a caveat, if you really want to be a Mate you may considering asking MMA to place you on a waiting list. I graduated from Kings Point in 1962, made the US Merchant Marine my life’s work and was pleased with my choice to be an Engineer. There really is a big difference between Deck and Engine so if Deck is the way you want to go perhaps a little wait may be in order. As for your age, no problem, get the training, do as best as you can, with your new License in hand you will find employment.
Best of luck to you, RoyceR.

Congrats!

I am a bridge guy. With an Engineer license you get the option of working on the beach if you want. You COULD run a power plant so keep that in mind. Additionally, bridge guys are where most grads go, engineering will give you more options after graduation.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Congrats, on the acceptance. I don’t believe there was much difference between freshman deck and engine. I would just go as engine and talk to the profs. There is high attrition after freshman cruise and always a few guys who switch from deck to engine or vice-versa. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up liking engineering. Have fun and good luck. There are a lot of good profs to learn from up there.

Congratulations…and God Bless you…
Im a Maine guy, and I can tell you for certain that once you’re accepted and enrolled, you can switch your major to MTO at any time, even on the first day of classes. The first semester is a lot pre-requisites, but after that, you start getting into major oriented classes. If you truly want to be a Mate, you should change your major. The Engine Room is no place for someone who doesn’t WANT to be there. Its hot, humid, confined, and lots of hard working long hours.
If at the end of your first year, you haven’t decided which route you want to take, your freshman cruise will certainly help you make up your mind. Best of luck. PM me with any questions you might have about MMA…

Better switch now. If you don’t want to be an engineer then you will end up dropping out after the first calculus test. You will have more opportunities as an engineer, but if you don’t like it then the opportunities won’t matter

MEO and MTO both require Calculus I and physics I and II. I have taken calc I and II when I received my marine biology degree, alondg with Physics I and II.
I do realize the two areas are compltely different. I have the opportunity to get the engineer liscense so Im gonna do it!!! Thanks for all the information, I really appreciate it.

Wait, you alway have a bachelors degree? Did you try applying to SUNY’s graduate program? Masters degree and 3m license in, I think, two years…

Lol. Calculus and physics are the easier classes

As stated before, once accepted into MMA, you can switch your major. There will be plenty of deckies switching to engine and vise versa. You can switch as late as after freshman cruise and it won’t effect your graduation date. It happens a lot.

That is good to know, thanks a lot!!

[QUOTE=RoyceR;63862]First of all I would like to thank all members for so many responses to my questions. I have decided to go the academy route only because it seems faster and job placement is 95%.
I have been accepted to the Marine Engineering Operations Major…to get 3rd asst. eng.
I wanted to go the Marine Transportaion Operations route but they have no openings( I wanted to get 3rd mate unlimmeted tonnage.

Questions: job market for 3rd eng versus 3rd mate
starting pay 3rd eng versus 3rd mate

I have 3 friends that work for diamond offshore as 3rd asst eng. (havent asked them what they make)
Thank you for all your knowledge, Royce

Oh, I am age 39 will that pose a problem landing a job, are recruiters looking for young guys right outta school?[/QUOTE]Sorry for the late reply. If you want to work Deck then start with what they offer and switch your major. No problem. Once you are at MMA you don’t have to worry about whether they have an opening or not, you just switch. No problem.

For the pay, yeah, deckies will make more but you are pretty much committed to the sea. Engine guys have more options working a regular shoreside job.

For your age question, don’t worry about it. I’m sure you’ve got prior experience that will boost your resume and you are now just following your dreams to go to sea. If I am the captain recommending a man to the employer, do I want to hand over responsibility of navigating a half billion dollar ship and the lives of everyone onboard to a 42-year-old mate that has made this his life’s calling or hand it over to a 22-year-old who’s dad sent him to the academy and thinks life owes him a decent living just for being alive? The fact that you are doing this at age 39 convinces me of the responsibilty you are willing to accept and shows the drive to succeed in your field. Your resume would go to the top of the pile.

I have yet to be on a ship where my deck counter part makes more money than me. In fact as 1st with OT I make more than the Captain

[QUOTE=brjones;64341]I have yet to be on a ship where my deck counter part makes more money than me. In fact as 1st with OT I make more than the Captain[/QUOTE]Hmm. My experience is the opposite. Chief engineer is usually between Captain and Chief Mate.

We have a fixed salary (regardless of overtime) and C/E’s normally make abt midway between C/O and Captains.

These are the salary differences in our company for western Europeans. Values not in US Dollars.

Capt 58k
C/E 52k
C/O 48k
2/E 44K
2/O 39K
3/E 36K
3/O 36K

For Asian crew:

Capt 10K
C/E 8k
C/O 6k
2/E 5k
2/O 4k
3/O 3k

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I have worked all deep sea boats and roughly 7 different companies and all have been the same. Pay scale is
Captain
CHENG
Chief mate / 1AE
2 mate/ 2 AE
3mate/ 3 AE

Now hour for hour and day for day the Captain and CHENG make more, but they don’t get the OT I do. So at the end of the year I make more, but I work a lot more as well. They do however get more on the pension so they still come out ahead if you count that in

Yea about that mates making more then engineers is true with most trades but there are also more openings nowadays for engineers especially on rigs where dpo spots are hard to come by if you don’t have dpo experience or dpo ticket. Soon too change though with maine’s new simulator which is set up for dp implementation.

[QUOTE=crudeman89;64370]Yea about that mates making more then engineers is true with most trades but there are also more openings nowadays for engineers especially on rigs where dpo spots are hard to come by if you don’t have dpo experience or dpo ticket. Soon too change though with maine’s new simulator which is set up for dp implementation.[/QUOTE]I saw that new simulator last time I was up there. Impressive. It is the exact same equipment that is installed on most of the new ships being delivered.

CFD what currency are you using for that pay scale?

[QUOTE=BMCSRetired;63871]Congrats!

I am a bridge guy. With an Engineer license you get the option of working on the beach if you want. You COULD run a power plant so keep that in mind. Additionally, bridge guys are where most grads go, engineering will give you more options after graduation.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!![/QUOTE]

There are more opportunities ashore for engineers than just operating a shoreside power plant or working in a hospital plant. In my personal experience, I have worked ashore as a Class Surveyor and now as an Energy Loss Aduster/Marine Surveyor. There are also many opportunities as ship superintendents, shipyard project managers, Underwriters’ Risk Engineers, etc. I haven’t picked up a wrench professionally since coming ashore, yet I use the skills Iearned almost every day.