This is what it boils down to.
1 Like
Hello,
I read your reply to goatloader and wanted to ask if your advice on how i could best evaluate myself for a career as a mariner. I am 53 single and no children. I have done work in business and sales most my life but have long thought a career at sea would be great for many reasons but then find a reason to think that choice is not rational or responsible. Recently I cannot get the thought of working at sea out of my mind and fear that I will not be living life to its fullest if I do not act.
I would appreciate whatever you minght recommend to help me evaluate this decision.
I am new to the site so I hope i am corresponding in the correct manner.
Thanks,
Matt
MSC is your best bet. You can retire at age 62 with a boatload of money in your checking account, a ton of $$ in your gov’t 401k which can be converted to a lifetime monthly annuity, a small pension that will pay for your health care and dental and a secret security clearance for other gov’t work if you want it. And a 10g paid life insurance policy, unless things have changed since 2015.
1 Like
You could start doing the paperwork (get you MMC, Passport, TWIC.) While you’re doing this continue the job search. I went back at mid-forties after not sailing for twenty years. It can be done. There are lots of different companies and different work situations. The other thread and this thread have made worthy suggestions. There are also jobs on cruise ships (I looked into it, but didn’t get around to doing it.) The cost to do the paperwork would probably be about $500. If you get STCW - those four classes you can see the price online.
MSC looks really cool but I have to say that I have read many posts on this site that say it is less than an ideal organization to be apart of. Part of my challenge ia sortingn thru all the information without knowing exactly what I am looking for. It seems clear getting MMC STWIC and TWIC. Thanks for your reply and advice. It is much appreciated
Hello Sam. Thanks for confirming that this is a good site for information. That’s important. Searching the internet with little knowledge of the business can be confusing to say the least. I’m going to keep reading and asking to findnthe best course to follow. I am seeing SIU and MITAG and other orgs and trying to piecento gether entry options. Is one employable after just getting the credentials MMC, TWIC…etc? I appreciate your help
I think you can walk out your door with none of the formal documentation and get a job on tourist boats and construction tugs and barges, etc.,… Then you can down load a form from the coast guard and use it to keep track of sea time. Sea time is what you want. Sea time allows you to become a rated sailor. Right now your MMC would said OS - Ordinary Seaman. You want a rating. On deck rated sailors are: ABs - Able Seaman. Engineroom Ordinary Seamen are called Wipers. Rated seaman in the Engineroom are Oilers and QMEDs. Galley Ordinaries wash a lot of dishes. Experience in kitchens could make a sailor a Steward or Second Cook.
Job reductions have played havoc with who does what, but you’re better off with a rating. Ratings are earned by seatime and classes. If the MITAG situation is training you as an officer / engineer, well then that is a whole different job path. If someone asked me how to get going in the field, I’d say that SIU situation doesn’t look bad.
I saw this requirement for applying to the Washington State Ferries program through MITAGS.
I’m back, the older fool!
After a long process, I finally got the MMC and TWIC. Any thoughts on the Military Sealift Command? I’ve seen a lot of negative stuff on Reddit – much from COVID days I think – but they seem to have a lot of jobs that may not be totally back breaking. I am thinking about purser or storekeeper, starting out as a utility guy, inspired by the advice I received here. I don’t mind mopping and dish washing. Apparently, it’s also not hard to rise with them because they don’t have enough people. Thoughts? Insults? Hope you’ve all had a good year.
Interesting video. After the interviewer’s initial question immediately defaulted to “how can we encourage more women to come to rise senior positions…” or somesuch, I must ponder if the goal now is to turn the maritime profession into a family friendly sensitivity training center, and when a nurse/ anesthesiologist with no prior experience can become master of a containership within 10-11 years, I must indeed be a substandard specimen and perhaps I and many of my shipmates should rethink if replacement of all human units onboard ship with autonomous robotics is indeed a sensible move after all.
The US Antarctic Program is always hiring for a wide variety of roles - you could do a season down there (6 months) if you can pass the physical and back ground checks. See here: The USAP Portal: Science and Support in Antarctica - Jobs and Opportunities
Now, you need to be ok with being down there for 6 months. The summer season at the McMurdo station has alot of people there, even has a couple of bars and coffe shops and etc. The South Pole, well, in the summer that’s going to be constant sunlight…for 6 months…at 9000’ above sea level (that’s how much ice you would be living on). Palmer Station, the tropics of the Antarctic, is very small and etc. - maybe not so many jobs for you… but hey, give it a shot.
1 Like