I’m looking to start in the industry after retiring from the army. Any advice you can give some starting at 47?
Start here
No you are definately not too old. The maritime industry is hurting for mariners now more than ever. Too bad you didn’t hook up with the army maritime division’s warrant program, if they still have it that is. If you had some related experience in the army on tugs, barges etc that is a help. Courses of action include applying to the main unlicensed union, the SIU. Need to refresh my memory but the USCG did issue entry level documents, formerly known as a Z card if you could either prove minimal previous experience and/or a willing employer to hire you as a new entry level hand. 46CFR under the merchant marine personnel section has the details. My union, the AMO (American Maritime Officers) has an excellent program for those candidates interested in entering the marine engineering track, (not deck) which upon acceptance, you reside for a 2 yr period at the STAR Center school in Dania Beach, FL and are essentilaly an apprentice. During the 2 year period you will alternate between machine shop/ classroom/ practical eng instruction with sea time. The ratio is 1:1 as a required ~360 sea days are required in order to sit for your third assistant engineer. The land time will be fast paced both to cover practical enginnering hands on concepts as well as required regulatory STCW firefighting. lifesaving and knowlege requisite for all mariners engine and deck. At the successful conclusion you have a 5 year union obligation but finding an engineering position is absolutely not an issue, the union as all maritime industry segnmenyts are critically short of engineers. Mates like myself are even running very short these days but nothing compared to the shortage of engineers. The “TECH PROGRAM” as it’s called has no age limit and is VA approved. The downside is if married and in need of earning a living during the 2 years it could be tough, as the shoreside stipend and apprentice wages onboard ship are limited. Married applicants have gone through the program and there is available housing in the area which may also include renting from the union if your spouse accompanies you.
If interested: www.star-center.com/techprogram.html
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Your link is dead, but otherwise good post
Link is dead? Not sure what that means… Memel is giving good advice for a great opportunity to make a decent wage, much more so than what you retired at. Check it out sir, may be something right up your alley.
@Memel
Corrected link:
TECH Program
The Engineering Candidate Hawsepipe (TECH) program is a comprehensive training program for selected high school graduates and veterans (veterans please click here) who want to pursue careers as seagoing marine engineers. Is this for me? Candidates must meet the United States Coast Guard (USCG) medical requirements for a licensed engineer, and demonstrate high standards of academic achievement and engineering aptitude.
Applications for the next class which is scheduled to start September 2024, with applications closing at 1200 on 3 June, 2024. Interested personnel should complete the application process themselves (link at bottom of this page).
American Maritime Officers (AMO), the largest union of US licensed merchant marine officers is offering this program with the purpose of providing selected candidates with the opportunity to proceed on a marine engineering career path and help fill the projected shortage of marine engineers. The program targets high performing high school graduates with an interest in the merchant marine and mentors them during intense training onboard ship and ashore.
The TECH program will take approximately 2 years to complete and alternates between classroom training and sea phases. Click here for a tri-fold summary of the program.
Means that the link doesn’t point to a working web page but returns an error instead.
I explored different options, and ended up settling on getting a M.S. in shipping and Logistics from SUNY Maritime with the 3rd Mate’s License. I’m taking Masters classes this semester, and look to go in person in the Spring.