Hey I was wondering if you guys/galls could give me some advice. I am looking to work offshore on overseas vessels. I have a strong interest in the engineering department. A friend of mine who has 20+ years in the industry says this would be the perfect place for me. I love solving problems and working with my hands and have been a “shade-tree” mechanic and handyman for 13+ years and even though this really cannot be used on a resume I know how to use tools and fix things to spec. I recently applied for my TWIC and will apply for my MMC shortly. I am considering attending Piney Point a year from now as that is the soonest I can attend. My friend I mentioned earlier has been a member of SIU since he first started and has always had a contract and never mentioned any problems with the union. But he has been kind of useless in helping me get into seafaring. The only problem I have had with the union is waiting over 6 months to talk to an agent who was supposed to guide me into the career as he was an engineer for over 30 years. So I decided to obtain the required documents and go from here. However, before I attend Piney Point I wanted to work offshore first to save up some money to take care of bills before I leave for a year of “unpaid” training and to get a feel for the career field to see if this is something I want to do. I have been studying mechanical engineering at FSU for three years and I heard that certain classes can count towards the career field since I have passed classes regarding electrical circuits, thermodynamic, steam plants, turbines/compressors, efficiency, carnot cycle, etc… Really I wanted to know how you got started and if you could please offer me some guidance.
I want to make this a lifelong career and to use the money I earn as some capital to follow other business interests of mine while not out at sea…
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;77860]Uh oh!!! I can feel the rumbling coming from the depths.[/QUOTE]
And why is this??? I hope your joking as I have seen this saying on other posts as well…
Forums are used to ask questions and get answers…I have done my research but still need some advice…No situation is the same…If you have nothing useful to say then don’t say anything at all
I’m not trying to be a d…k, but this means allot to me and I really have nowhere else to get any guidance…
Yours is a confusing post. It sounds as if you are already in school, and want to try to ship out when you get your degree and leave your diploma behind.
If you read through some of the other posts about how to get a job, and some companies to apply to you could forego the extended year off at Piney Pt. And just go to work.
BUT… Since it sounds like you still have a year to go, just wait. Any of these companies won’t hire you now for a job a year from now.
To quell the confusion I withdrew from school, I cannot afford to attend anymore and I hate sitting at my desk doing schoolwork for 12+ hours a day…I am a hands-on person…Don’t get me wrong though, I found the schoolwork very easy but it literally hurts me just sitting on my ass all day…I prefer technical jobs…Working offshore has been my “plan B” ever since I started school and has been on my mind for along time…
There has to be some sort of entry way, such as an apprenticeship or journeyman position, into the field…
If you finish your degree you only need (I think) 180 days of sea time for a third assistant engineer license as opposed to the normal 1080 days. (The degree program you are in has to be approved by some acronym engineering society that I can’t remember.)
Other than that, forget the union. Get a job on an OSV and the company will pay for all training you need to get your license.
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;77895]If you finish your degree you only need (I think) 180 days of sea time for a third assistant engineer license as opposed to the normal 1080 days. (The degree program you are in has to be approved by some acronym engineering society that I can’t remember.)
[/QUOTE]
Thanks, that is actually very good to know…and by the way the acronym is ABET, and the school I am attending is ABET “certified”…
However, according to my adviser at the college of engineering, I still have roughly over three years left to complete the degree if I were to return to school…
But there again I have a problem…I cannot afford to go to school even on financial aid…
I would like to spend some time at sea, make some money, then go back to school either back in the M.E. degree program or maritime academy…
My whole life has been a giant catch 22…
I cannot go to school because I cannot afford it, yet I cannot get a job because I do not have any “schooling”
And yes while in school I have applied for many jobs ranging from short order cook to engineering field technician; I’m either overqualified or under-qualified
OH FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!..forget about going to sea as a marine engineer and stay in school to get your degree then go to Houston to work for one of the offshore engineering firms there. There is as good if not better career opportunities for someone with a mechanical engineering degree to be in subsea which is where the money REALLY is. Go work for West Engineeringand you’ll make bank!
Click your heels together three times and repeat after me: I WANT TO GO SUBSEA…I WANT TO GO SUBSEA…I WANT TO GO SUBSEA!
With your background, TWIC, and MMC, you may be able to find a job on a crewboat as an unlicensed engineer, or deckineer. You should apply to any company you can, get on any boat you can. Its all going to count towards your engineer license.
[QUOTE=jti30666;77854]Hey I was wondering if you guys/galls could give me some advice. I am looking to work offshore on overseas vessels. I have a strong interest in the engineering department. A friend of mine who has 20+ years in the industry says this would be the perfect place for me. I love solving problems and working with my hands and have been a “shade-tree” mechanic and handyman for 13+ years and even though this really cannot be used on a resume I know how to use tools and fix things to spec. I recently applied for my TWIC and will apply for my MMC shortly. I am considering attending Piney Point a year from now as that is the soonest I can attend. My friend I mentioned earlier has been a member of SIU since he first started and has always had a contract and never mentioned any problems with the union. But he has been kind of useless in helping me get into seafaring. The only problem I have had with the union is waiting over 6 months to talk to an agent who was supposed to guide me into the career as he was an engineer for over 30 years. So I decided to obtain the required documents and go from here. However, before I attend Piney Point I wanted to work offshore first to save up some money to take care of bills before I leave for a year of “unpaid” training and to get a feel for the career field to see if this is something I want to do. I have been studying mechanical engineering at FSU for three years and I heard that certain classes can count towards the career field since I have passed classes regarding electrical circuits, thermodynamic, steam plants, turbines/compressors, efficiency, carnot cycle, etc… Really I wanted to know how you got started and if you could please offer me some guidance.
I want to make this a lifelong career and to use the money I earn as some capital to follow other business interests of mine while not out at sea…
Unions for the most part are bullshit, unless you like giving guys who in the end do you no good a piece of your pay check.
The only problem I have had with the union is waiting over 6 months to talk to an agent who was supposed to guide me into the career as he was an engineer for over 30 years.
This should tell you all you need to know. The best anybody gets treated is when someone is trying to get you to part with your money, you think your going to get any better treatment after you commit to their union? Also there are no unions involved with the offshore vessel’s or drill ships in the US.
If you have any business venture that needs any type of attention and or timely input then forget about going to sea.
Don’t be a fool, stay in school and listen to C. Captain’s recommendation. Also a I would rather have a guy with a few years of shade tree mechanic skills then a guy with only 6 months of sea time and an engineering degree for an engineer on my boat. I need someone who knows they difference between a 6 point and 12 point socket not someone who can figure out the resistance caused by adding a 4 in to 3 in reducer on my mud discharge and resulting change in pumping efficiency.
Also so a search for a recent thread about working in Brazil. Cured any fantasies I had of working overseas. Also read both of the Read This First threads, might give you a reality check about what you are thinking of getting involved with.
[QUOTE=Jemplayer;77977]Unions for the most part are bullshit, unless you like giving guys who in the end do you no good a piece of your pay check.
This should tell you all you need to know. The best anybody gets treated is when someone is trying to get you to part with your money, you think your going to get any better treatment after you commit to their union? Also there are no unions involved with the offshore vessel’s or drill ships in the US./QUOTE]
Depends on the union and contract. I think SIU dues are $500 a year now. (tax deductable) That’s a drop in the bucket as compared to what non-union companies deduct for health insurance. There’s also free room, board and transportation to Piney Point for upgrades. (board can be iffy) The pension ain’t bad either.
When i left the oilfield in ‘85, The small seismograph ships were reflagged, wages on supply boats were cut in half and the CG let the companies get by with running 200’ ± supply boats with 4 or 5 crew members. The contracts I sailed with the SIU doubled the wages plus overtime. Paid transportation and expenses to and from. 2 or 1 pension credits. Crowley and Foss are union companies that dally in the oilfield. Wages are low now but that’s cyclical just like the oilfield. With 7300 days credit, you can retire at 55 with a wage related pension.
I’ve seen more ex union guys licensed and unlicensed in the oil field lately. That should tell you something. The unions are quick to take your money not so quick to get you a job. I am a better advocate for my wages, working conditions and retirement portfolio. I don’t need to pay another person to help me find a job.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;78000]I’ve seen more ex union guys licensed and unlicensed in the oil field lately. That should tell you something. The unions are quick to take your money not so quick to get you a job. I am a better advocate for my wages, working conditions and retirement portfolio. I don’t need to pay another person to help me find a job.[/QUOTE]
That’s nothing new. I’ve seen the migration back and forth since '70. Follow the $. Back in the '90s, a friend who owned a small boat company told me that 25% of his hands were ex-union. I told him that all of our crews were ex-non-union.lol!.
I remember he had a wall plaque with a prayer, “Lord, give us one more boom in the oilfield…I promise to save some money this time.”
All I can say is ride the wave and max out the portfolio!
[QUOTE=injunear;77982][QUOTE=Jemplayer;77977]Unions for the most part are bullshit, unless you like giving guys who in the end do you no good a piece of your pay check.
This should tell you all you need to know. The best anybody gets treated is when someone is trying to get you to part with your money, you think your going to get any better treatment after you commit to their union? Also there are no unions involved with the offshore vessel’s or drill ships in the US./QUOTE]
Depends on the union and contract. I think SIU dues are $500 a year now. (tax deductable) That’s a drop in the bucket as compared to what non-union companies deduct for health insurance. There’s also free room, board and transportation to Piney Point for upgrades. (board can be iffy) The pension ain’t bad either.
When i left the oilfield in ‘85, The small seismograph ships were reflagged, wages on supply boats were cut in half and the CG let the companies get by with running 200’ ± supply boats with 4 or 5 crew members. The contracts I sailed with the SIU doubled the wages plus overtime. Paid transportation and expenses to and from. 2 or 1 pension credits. Crowley and Foss are union companies that dally in the oilfield. Wages are low now but that’s cyclical just like the oilfield. With 7300 days credit, you can retire at 55 with a wage related pension.
Did I mention pension?..[/QUOTE]
Is the 2 for 1 credit you refer to the days required to be eligible for the pension? 7300 days is 40 years at 180 days a year, even if you get credit for every day in the SIU that is still 20. I agree a pension is a good thing, but there are some companies that offer pension’s. Kirby is one, even as cheap as they are, I know there pay is behind but they have a pension that maxes out a 18 to 20 years depending on how many days you work, also your fully vested after 7 or 8 years. Transocean has a pension that you are full vested after only 5 years, at 180 days a year. Plus they offer 2 for 1 match on your 401K on top of the pension, and very low cost (almost free) health for the employee. If you have to add family coverage it does go up a bit. Most drilling companies offer free training and pay some or all your day rate while in school, plus hotels and perdiem. Transocean’s pension is wage related as well.
Is the 2 for 1 credit you refer to the days required to be eligible for the pension? 7300 days is 40 years at 180 days a year, even if you get credit for every day in the SIU that is still 20. I agree a pension is a good thing, but there are some companies that offer pension’s. Kirby is one, even as cheap as they are, I know there pay is behind but they have a pension that maxes out a 18 to 20 years depending on how many days you work, also your fully vested after 7 or 8 years. Transocean has a pension that you are full vested after only 5 years, at 180 days a year. Plus they offer 2 for 1 match on your 401K on top of the pension, and very low cost (almost free) health for the employee. If you have to add family coverage it does go up a bit. Most drilling companies offer free training and pay some or all your day rate while in school, plus hotels and perdiem. Transocean’s pension is wage related as well.[/QUOTE]
I think all pensions, you are partially vested at 5 years. The normal pension with SIU is around 5800 days at 62. The Inland division wage related early normal is 7300 days at 55. The pension is based on an average of the best 5 of your last 10 years. It’s 40% of your average. If you retire after 62, you get a 2% raise for each year over your 7300. The 2 for 1 is the company makes double contributions for every day you work. It was if you worked 200 days, you got 400 days credit toward the pension. I think it’s capped at 365 now.
The retirement fund rules have changed over the years. Before, you could have a traditional IRA with your union pension and take the deferment. They stopped it a few years ago. The contract after I retired, the SIU offered a 401K along with the pension. We were told that the company could not contribute to the 401K by law if they were contributing to a pension fund.
I think all pensions, you are partially vested at 5 years. The normal pension with SIU is around 5800 days at 62. The Inland division wage related early normal is 7300 days at 55. The pension is based on an average of the best 5 of your last 10 years. It’s 40% of your average. If you retire after 62, you get a 2% raise for each year over your 7300. The 2 for 1 is the company makes double contributions for every day you work. It was if you worked 200 days, you got 400 days credit toward the pension. I think it’s capped at 365 now.
The retirement fund rules have changed over the years. Before, you could have a traditional IRA with your union pension and take the deferment. They stopped it a few years ago. The contract after I retired, the SIU offered a 401K along with the pension. We were told that the company could not contribute to the 401K by law if they were contributing to a pension fund.[/QUOTE]
There must be something to that, I worked for a tug company that was SIU. However they told us it was optional to join. I asked if what the benefit was in joining the SIU or not, and that was what they told me. If I join my retiremant would be a pensoin from the union. If I chose not to join I could have a 401K sponsered by the company. A few years later they voted the union completly out, and everbody got the same benefits. I don’t think there was very many actual dues paying members in the entire rag tag outfit anyway.
I wonder if the law has changed or if because they are a foreign based company how Transocean gets away with it. They are not the only drilling company that does that either.
It’s just a rule the unions have for some obscure reason. Probably made to make you more reliant on them to keep you around. Just another way to keep you feeding them a portion of you’re pay check so the guys at the top can afford their ridiculous salaries. Just look up AMO on this board to see what can happen when a union goes bad. That should give any one pause, even if they are thinking of getting with a supposedly good union like SIU or MM&P.
My wife works for the state of Texas and has a mandatory 8% of her pay check sent to the state pension and then she can contribute how ever much she wants to her 401k.
[QUOTE=Jemplayer;78079]It’s just a rule the unions have for some obscure reason. Probably made to make you more reliant on them to keep you around. Just another way to keep you feeding them a portion of you’re pay check so the guys at the top can afford their ridiculous salaries. Just look up AMO on this board to see what can happen when a union goes bad. That should give any one pause, even if they are thinking of getting with a supposedly good union like SIU or MM&P.
My wife works for the state of Texas and has a mandatory 8% of her pay check sent to the state pension and then she can contribute how ever much she wants to her 401k.[/QUOTE]
The point is that the company can’t contribute to your 401K if they are making your pension contributions. The guys can sock away what ever they want.
In the contracts with the 2 companies I sailed with the SIU, the companies paid double contributions into the pension fund and 5% of our base pay into a money purchace pension plan. They also paid insurance premiums for employee and family. Transportation also.
Retirement benefits ain’t bad either. Insurance premium is a $100 a month or $200 for family. Pensioner and spouse get a free anual physical at the SIU clinic.
To some my original question or statement may have been confusing so I will try to make this as clear as possible so bear with me…
I [B][U]literally[/U][/B] cannot afford to go to school any more…As of January 2013, I will no longer be able to get student loans which I have been using to pay for school, and my financial aid is being lowered along with tuition increasing…
However I have looked over the USCG statutes regarding the engineering “ranks” and found out that if I somehow do manage to continue my education and graduate with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from an ABET accredited school that I could possibly earn the 3rd Assistant Engineer Unlimited qualification…
With this being said I have decided to continue with my studies…
Now, HTF do I raise enough money for school???
My plan is actually quite simple:
Obtain the required documents to work offshore on a ship
Work offshore for a year max
Go back to school for a semester or two
Go back to step 2 and repeat
I have all the time in the world…I used to be in such a rush to graduate but that won’t make three years go by any faster…So I’ll take my time with it and go with the flow
I found that the entry levels are OILER/WIPER or even lower GENERAL VESSEL ASSISTANT
I’m currently looking into Chevron’s cadet/apprenticeship program as well as NOAA which has internship ops for college students as well