New to offshore Need Help

Hey yall am new to offshore and need some help or advices. First I am a female that’s looking for a career. I already have my TWIC Card and Z- Card, and Safegulf. Okay I just founded out that I need my STCW card so I call the Sea School for the Class and they told me I can get in the Oct Class. Now someone had told me about SIU Union and said that it would be good to join this union the unlicensed Apprentice Program I have to be in that for a year. Am trying to go to work ASAP but don’t no which route to go get my STCW and apply for jobs and hope that I get hire or go to SIU. Could someone give me some good advices. Thanks a bunch