Note: Recent graduates have not yet achieved required sea time for
capstone licensure. Approximately 135 engineering graduates per year.
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Contingency
Periods
|
Peak Year
|
|
1959-1975,
Vietnam
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1969
|
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1990-1994,
Gulf I
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1991
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2001-2010,
GWOT
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2003
|
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2011-
Present, OEF
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The shipping industry, in the US
and abroad, is known for its cyclical nature. Beyond the massive profits and
losses in the commercial sector, and the increased or decreased spending in the
defense sector, are professional maritime officers who crew the ships. Their
job security and opportunity for advancement from third mate or third engineer
to second, first, and Chief Engineer or Master, depends on supply of jobs and
the employment demands of incumbent mariners.
Based on information sourced from
the US Merchant Marine Academy’s Alumni foundation, it is clear that early
career opportunity determines upward mobility within the maritime professions.
In the first five years after commencement, graduates must accept employment as
a merchant officer at sea, or in the armed forces. Depending on employment
conditions and personal motivation, new merchant officers may receive negative
reinforcement through stagnation in their roles, or positive reinforcement in
advancement and growth.
In contrast to the armed forces,
in which a rigid pyramid command structure forces many junior and mid-level
officers into civilian employment, the shipboard hierarchy is linear, with one
or two merchant officers at each rank. In theory, there is a clear path for
advancement. Affecting this is greater churn among third mates and third
engineers, who in the US are fairly likely to find employment as professionals
ashore, in the maritime industry or not. One US government transportation
agency is notorious for hiring freshly-graduated officers instead of investing
in refresher training for its experienced mariners.
Opportunities are created when
shipping fleets expand, through new construction, activation for contingency,
or transfer from Navy to civilian crewing; as well as when experienced mariners
come home. Weakened pension benefits, both in government and private
employment, has created more “silver mariners” sailing in their 50’s and 60’s.
(Silver Mariner refers to 25 years of working at sea, the traditional
retirement age of American merchant officers). Lifetime alimony rules of the
‘Me Generation’ era, and personal debt has created “golden handcuffs” among
other mariners, who cannot afford to leave seagoing employment.
Why don’t sidelined young officers
return to sea when employment conditions improve? It is in the first five years
after college graduation that career-adjusting lifestyle choices, such as
marriage and children, are typically established. While it is common for single
graduates, in their 20’s and 30’s, to return to sea after several years working
ashore, this is not the case for those graduates who have established
traditional, community-oriented families. In contrast, a graduate who has
accomplished career advancement at sea, and who intends to specialize in
seagoing work, would (hopefully) partner with a spouse who understands the
mission-oriented lifestyle.
Other Major Events
1970, Nixon Merchant Shipbuilding
Program
1981, End of Operational Subsidies
1984, ABET Accreditation-
engineering design courses introduced (KP)
1993, Al Gore Report on Government
Waste (KP)
1996, MSP Subsidies &
Preposition Fleets Established
2010-2014, Offshore Drilling Surge
2014-2015, Military Sealift
Command Offers Jobs to Over 100 New Graduates (KP)
2017, International (STCW)
Engineering Management Competency Enforced
2020-2021, COVID Pandemic
KP = Internal milestone for US
Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point
