I currently live in miami,fl and doing all the paper work to get my mmc, but at the mean time i would like to get organized and informed while waiting instead of running around once i do get my mmc. how are the employment in s.florida like? i am going in as an entry level os, and i would not mind going out for a long periods of time. i see in other posts 28/28 14/14 also 120 days max so far. im not married or family so it wont bother me as much.
also what advice would anyone give out before entering like should i get qualified for first aid / cpr , any other certification that i should get that would help me alot. also should i go to the union in port everglades or get into a private company. i used to be in the u.s coast guard auxiliary 2 years ago, due to economic hard ship had to leave but thinking of going back since it might help and also the cg give out free training and certifications. any ideas, advice for entry level?
not to be mean but a question like this gets posted a few times a day, usually with the same response, look through the threads and 99% of the info is here already
if you go to the GOM you might be able to get on with several companies,Chouest, odyssea, ACO, just to name a few. things are starting to pick up out there,the more certificates you have the better,might want to try the union as you suggested,i have several friends there who love it
Any ‘free’ training you have received by the USCG aux is useless for creditable training for a MMC. EXCEPT CPR. The seamanship, navigation and safe boater certificate courses are not applicable to a merchant marine job. The training you receive at an accredited training facility costs money. This is why they are in business. Do you have your TWIC yet? You wont even be able to get in the door at the REC without a TWIC.
As earlier mentioned, all this has been discussed in numerous other threads. You should search them to help you find your answer regarding Union vs. non, company names to look for in the internet, and work conditions (at least what questions to ask a potential employer)
There is very little employment available most anywhere right now. S FL only has relatively few jobs in the tug industry. There are some dock builders along the intercoastal but they don’t even require a MMC, just a strong back, and long hours. I would think you would have to look elsewhere for an actual OS job. And whereever you get a bite, take it. You will struggle to get your first job. Then once you have a track record you can look for a better job.
Yes i have my twic already, long hours or having to relocate isnt a problem for me. also i been looking at florida marine transporter.com and few other sites most are like in ny, houston, washington state dont mind it… and yes 100-ton , ive read a post of the v.brothers ( forgot the first name ) on how they are anti-union people quit, they pay little. no benefits really medical benefits are extremely high… but thanks for the info to all. im reading about as much post as i can right now.
seacore has tug boats in miami,there are fuel barges,also day boats, like jungle queen,(better than nothing) the ferries run 24 hours to fisher island (at least you are near home and on a boat) Dann ocean towing in tampa, seabulk in tampa,just to name a few,keep looking and don’t give up
Ok a question, im going to finish my basic stcw-95 by the end of this week. siu hall is a block away from the school mptusa, so i was thinking of signing up after ending the class, for those here who has applied for unions, would it be a good idea to sign up for both siu and amo and have a higher chance of finding a job? thou $350 only for membership fees in siu. hopefully not for both organizations. on the mean time going to be sending out resumes. any advice for the newbie???