Summer job for college student with no experience

Which home ports and contract times would you recommend?

You don’t need to pay a school or other 3rd party for an MMC or a TWIC, and they do not have special access that gets them issued faster.

No, you do not need one for TWIC. Anyone can get one. BUT a school helps to learn the business. Guy said he had no experience.

IIRC, You don’t need an MMC to work on any limited tonnage inland-only vessels. Some companies require an MMC when it isn’t legally required but one isn’t required in most of those places.

The way to learn the business is to get on the boat. He said he was looking for a summer job, he does not need to step foot in a school. If he wants an MMC, he does need a 5 panel DOT drug test, though.

Bristol bay salmon deckhand. This is estimated to be the biggest run on record. Most people are in Bristol bay from early June until end of July.

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With no experience, DO NOT pay money to “go to school”. Get an MMC and TWIC if needed for the job you’re eyeballing. Ship out, somewhere, somehow, and see if you even like it, earn some money, and gain some experience.

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What are limited tonnage inland-only vessels other than towboats I should consider?

What’s it like? I’ve heard it’s dangerous, but I want to hear what you think.

Ferries, dinner boats, other small passenger boats, etc.

I enjoyed doing it for quite a few years. It was a quick season and always a quick opportunity for me to make more money than I could make in other jobs in similar amounts of time. All Bristol Bay fishing vessels are 32’ and smaller and most boats have 3 or 4 man crews. I believe there is 1500 vessel fishing and often many vessel fishing in very with one another. There is plenty of opportunities for one to get injured but I would say that most of the injuries seen are minor in comparison to injuries you may see on much larger commercial fishing throughout Alaska, simply because the equipment you are working with is smaller. I always thought of Bristol Bay fishing in a similar way as Camping. Your often Cold, Wet, and in less than ideal living conditions but that can also be fun for some people, for me it was a fun adventure that also payed some money and always came back with a level of comradery and stories from each season.
Also know there is likely a much greater chance of injuries on most of the jobs listed here in the Maritime Industry when you consider the fact that you are in a foreign environment, that has some level of danger everywhere, and it sounds like you may be coming with very little maritime experience.