Quote: (10-24-2011 08:17 PM)Dash Global Wrote:
chefedemaquina,
can you breakdown the best route to go for someone looking to get into this work? ie the best path for most money easiest work, fastest promotion ect
essentially how you would do it given what you know after the fact.
The best way to get hired on is to have a friend working with an offshore company and have him or her get you on. Other than that, just drive down to south Louisiana and put in apps. A lot of companies will hire on the spot if they need people as opposed to going through applications. I was 25, out of the navy and going to school when I needed some cash for the summer, a friend got me on a tug boat and the rest was history, I liked the work and I liked the pay, during the early '80s there was a lot of partying on the boats, lot's of drinking, smoking weed and in Port Arthur Texas we had 2 groupies who would go from cabin to cabin while we were in port. I started out on deck and after a year moved into the engine room, it was a wise decision because after 3 years I was chief engineer making mega bucks, at least for the mid '80s. I retired from the boats on Aug 1 and was making 600 a day. I was called back to the company as a port engineer working in Macae and Rio, they made me an offer that I couldn't refuse. I found that the fastest way up the ladder and making series cash is in the engine room, Let's say that an 18 year old went to work on a supply boat or an anchor boat, he goes into the engine room starting at roughly 170-180 per day, after I think 1 year sea time, they can get a QMED and start making close to 300 per day, at 21 they can get an engineers license and start making 500+ a day. Not bad for being 21. You can also go the deck route, same thing, start at 170-180, get an AB and go to about 300, at 21 you can get a mates license then with sea time and testing get a captains license. It is a longer process for the same money. What I liked most about boat work is that you bust your ass for 28 days, get off and have 2 weeks and a pocket full of money to do or go where ever you want. It is a single mans life and I don't regret any of it.