Jill,
I certainly appreciate your reply. I’m sure a lot of your insight is still valid even though it’s a few years old. I had the chance to apply to the Corps a few years ago but didn’t for a number of reasons. Looking back, I wish I’d made the leap, however; everything worked out well in the interim. Now, I’m thinking about making another go at it.
My last trip out as an engineer was onboard an ATB in the Gulf of Mexico. It was an interesting experience that made me think long and hard about what I was doing. There were times when I loved it and times when I hated it, much like any job. Unfortunately, the scales tipped away from engineering. With the 3 month basic training period, the NOAA Corps seems like a great way to make a career change.
What appeals to me about the Corps is the opportunity to learn something new but not completely different, being able to sail (not as an engineer), the camaraderie, working with scientists, and to an extent the uniformed service. As an organization, the Corps is fairly small and it seems as though there are a lot of people who stay in for a long time.
I’d be interested in hearing more about your sea duty. I know how the merchant fleet typically does things but don’t have any experience on research vessels. On the ATB, we went from point A to point B and then back to point A. I realize that the experience varies from ship to ship but it would be good to know what it’s ‘typically’ like on a survey ship and on a fisheries research ship with regard to day to day and week to week operation. Are the ships in and out of port fairly frequently or infrequently?
Have a great weekend and thanks again for the reply,
Steve