14 posts were split to a new topic: Obtaining Tankerman PIC / Tankerman Assistant
That advice was some jackass with an axe to grind trying to screw people over. Work deck if you have to, but don’t pursue it. Sail on your license.
Also, never trust anyone who advises you to lower your aspirations.
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Also, I don’t know what it is but limited license graduates as a whole always seem bitter and cranky. They wanted to go the easy route and always seem angry they didn’t put in the time and effort to do the whole deal. All the ones I’ve worked with were found sweating it out on deck trying to make 3rd Mate, and bitching about academy mates the whole damn time! Makes no sense.
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The person who gave the advice apparently has a pretty dim reputation both at the school and at sea so… it seems like an effort to screw new grads over so he can get jobs easier without competition or a way to make him feel better about washing out of the tugboat side of the fence and needing to get back aboard ships as an AB to upgrade, covering any sense of shame by suggesting “everyone should do it this way.”
Just my opinion, I don’t know the guy and can’t see the post, but I sincerely hope the graduating cadets steer well clear of that kind of advice.
Apparently math isn’t a strong suit at any of the academies.
All the academies pump out approximately 450 3rds a year. They used to pump out about 600. But by having multiple career paths and degrees there seem to be more ‘non maritime’ numbers than before each year.
So figure 225 Mates and 225 Engineers.
Just how many Mates and Assistants jobs do you assume there are for a freshly minted Junior officer to be entitled to ‘just because they have “earned” it’? There are literally hundreds of recent graduates who now have a couple years experience, a reputation and (most importantly) seniority in a company they have been working at. Why? Because they tossed Hubris and Ego aside and figured a paycheck is better than unemployment while sitting in Mom and Dads house waiting for ‘the call’.
I don’t agree with joining SIU per se’. Get ANY job. Get INTO any company. Its easier to get a job if you have a job, than when you have no job.
No HR thinks: I have two applicants. One is working IN industry. One hasn’t shown ANY work history. Gee… who should I hire?
And. NO, your time as Cadet, Corps member, or swim team captain does NOT count as work experience. That only gets you a shot at garnering actual work experience. One of the most important comments made on this thread is: “You must realize you know just slightly more than nothing.” Think long and hard about that.
To give you a true anecdote.
I had a Second Mate training as AB, to get a wheelhouse job. While he was driving (doing a moderately difficult maneuver) His Legs were shaking. Not because he couldn’t do the job. But because He realized screwing up would negate His chances of getting a recommendation from me to get promoted. As time went on, he got more and more comfortable, got signed off, went Mate, and is now a Captain here. This guy had several years experience as 3M, 2M on ships. And was like a deer in the headlights on Tugs. Not every job is like being a junior 3rd, with another 3rd on watch with you, with the Captain 20’ away on his daybed. In this day companies are running tighter, less crew, more picky on who they hire (with so many people with experience and licenses on the beach waiting) and less forgiving of screw ups. Why the instructors aren’t being honest about this would be a question for you to bring up at Alumni meetings, now that you’re a valued member of that club.
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Tugs are a challenge to many deep sea mariners to actually handle, not “Direct”. The mariners, hawsepipers and “Alumni” that chose that direction are many of your pilots nowadays. Glad for them, they paid their dues.
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I moved to tugs a year after I got out of school. Deep sea jobs had pretty much dried up by then, and I just couldn’t afford the time and $$$ to run down to the Hall every week for one or two night jobs a month. I originally thought that my time on tugs would be temporary. . . One of my classmates also started at the same time with the same company. He was gone after one trip. Me, well, I actually learned to love it after a couple of voyages. Challenging to be sure.
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