Hi, I’m a high school senior and would like to pursue a career on tugboats. My original plan was to attend Maine Maritime Academy but feel that the workboat academy could be a better option for me. Does the workboat academy get a lot of 18-20 year olds or are most older? How are job opportunities after graduating? I live in Massachusetts and have been on boats all of my life. Thanks Andrew
Go to an academy and get your Degree. More options with a degree then just a certificate of completion and a license.
If you get there hate it then try the Workboat academy.
I went to one of the Academies and agree that you can’t go wrong. The Academies definitely offer you more options as Jemplayer stated
However, the tuition at all the Academies has gone sky high due to demand. Still a great return for the buck relative to other Universities but you will have to come up with a substantial amount of $$. If money is no object then it should be an easy decision.
If you are pursing an Seagoing Engineering position and have to foot the bill then you might consider the Workboat Academy. I’m guessing its relatively affordable and short in duration. There are a lot of decent paying jobs that only require a DDE license. You could work towards a DDE cert in a relatively short period of time provided you obtained the appropriate sea time along the way. I would see what the Workboat Academies placement rate is.
The Academies over the last 5 years have thrived on the Oil & Gas industry and getting a decent paying seagoing job has been easy. It will be interesting to see what happens this year.
Why not Mass Maritime? Thinking it might be cheaper since you are a resident?
Thanks for the replies, Im interested in Maine Maritime due to the fact that they have a program (SVO) that focuses more on tugs and i would receive my 1600 ton license. I don’t see my self ever wanting to work on large container ships. Money is not a huge problem but I do not enjoy school or do very well in school so the work boat academy is tempting.
From what your saying it sounds like the Workboat Academy would be the way to go. Glanced at their website, looks like a great program. Working with the “Partner” companies during your time there will get you some exposure and contacts. Good luck with whatever choice you make!
I didn’t enjoy school either. My grades in high school were so-so. I went to a maritime academy and my grades were much better. Maybe it was because I had some interest in the classes that I was taking. Don’t think of an academy as college, think of it as a trade school that lets you get a degree.
I was in the same boat so to speak.
Pretty much in agreement on all points.
[QUOTE=White76;156193]Thanks for the replies, Im interested in Maine Maritime due to the fact that they have a program (SVO) that focuses more on tugs and i would receive my 1600 ton license. I don’t see my self ever wanting to work on large container ships. Money is not a huge problem but I do not enjoy school or do very well in school so the work boat academy is tempting.[/QUOTE]
SUNY Maritime has a tug-based Mate 1600 program also, it’s two years (Maine’s is 4).
Go to Maine (or any other academy) for 4 years and your third mate unlimited. There are few jobs right now. In four years in should be a lot better. Companies and vetters prefer academy grads with third mate. Over the next few years, limited licenses are going to provide less and less career opportunities.
My little brother went to the workboat academy. It’s a great program for someone who plans to work on tugs. Keeping this in mind as you get older and may or may not start a family if you ever want to switch shoreside a 4 year school with a degree is an added bonus. Jobs for guys out of the PMI program are pretty plentiful most people that go are sponsored by companies some are not. The school does send people to companies for your sea phases.
Don’t cut yourself short. Get a college degree now. An engineering degree will be much more valuable. After 30 years on tugboats, I wish I had some other options. (Actually, I wished I had options about twenty years ago.) Now is the time to set yourself up with as many possibilities as possible. It won’t be long before you say “I’m sick of these tugboats.” Don’t finish that thought by saying, “But it’s the only thing I know.”
[QUOTE=White76;156193]Thanks for the replies, Im interested in Maine Maritime due to the fact that they have a program (SVO) that focuses more on tugs and i would receive my 1600 ton license. I don’t see my self ever wanting to work on large container ships. Money is not a huge problem but I do not enjoy school or do very well in school so the work boat academy is tempting.[/QUOTE]
Not doing well in high school is not that unusual. College is a different thing and most teachers make things more interesting. Give college a try. You can always change your mind. Whatever route you choose remember you will be competing on paper with the academy guys for a job for the rest of your life and life is a long time if you are lucky.