If you already have an undergrad degree and an additional BS or Masters isn’t important, have you considered the 2-year marine technology/small vessel operarions option at SUNY Maritime? If your goal is to stay close to home, that might be a good way to go.
Any GI Bill left?
It’s true that hiring in the industry is cyclical – especially in the oilfield – but the Great Retirement is still in progress and many tug/ATB companies are growing presently. LNG and wind is really just ramping up.
That or Great Lakes or just hawespiping. You can make 80k/yr (maybe more) as a deckhand in no time, build seatime and companies are hurting for people, so you’ll probably advance quickly. If you only wanna do tugs it might make sense. Also, once you meet some tugboaters, you’ll quickly realize that sitting around is in fact a large part of the job. Just trade the office for a boat you can’t leave. Just as a heads up. Good luck.
No, but that may be a better idea, if I can be in special status while I’m there. I have a BA in Econ and about 50 credits toward an engineering degree from CUNY. I’m pretty handy with wrenching.
Going to take the con Edison GUW exam when it is offered. Also looking MTA jobs and port authority. Trackworker seems ok.
Don’t become me. I was slated for the boring yet comfortable life of a nyc suburban millionaire. Now it’s all uncertain.
Thx guys
I’m not sure what part of my post you’re even addressing here. He asked direct questions, I gave him direct answers.
I think your best bet is to finish that engineering degree at CUNY.
Then, if you want, you could hawsepipe engine-side. Don’t quote me on the exact numbers, but its something like 180 days of unlicensed engine time + ABET accredited mech or elec engineering degree = 3AE.
Now, I’m not sure if there is more seatime to get OICEW to make the license have actual use. Or if they are credited in tandem.
BUT, thats what I would do. I wish I was an engineer everyday at sea. More easily transferable to the real-world too.
I think the M.S. option at SUNY is fine. But then its also likely 2.5 years, and there’s zero fallback, should you change your mind. That degree is basically worthless other than checking a box, which, in soem cases is all that is required, but you couls probably finish your engineering degree in the same time frame.
Decide you want to go to sea after? Join SIU. Or join SIU now, and give it a whirl, see if it even appeals.
I sailed SIU for years really helped narrow down where i wanted to be and what type of vessel i wanted to build a career on. Many, dont have that luxury, and just hunker down at a job they hate.
Shooter, I take it his issue is with my reasoning and not your reply. Mine may be flawed but yours was more than fine. Thanks again.
seems like you had a lot going for you and made a series of bad decisions to shoot yourself in the foot and lose a lot of it. you can get something back by looking at your options and utilizing the one with the least resistance x the greatest possible gain.
going for a 3 year MS degree to nowhere is not hacking it in either of those two categories.
SUNY grad and retired FDNY here:
Any program at SUNY will serve you well.
I have done tugs since graduating and it has worked out extremely well.
Feel free to DM