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I just finished reading this thread and now I'm really interested in maritime transportation. I'm pretty fed up with working in an office. I've always been interested in mechanics and engineering, and in my free time I'm always in my garage. I don't have my own family or am in any sort of serious relationships, and I don't want to start a family that's for sure (even got a vasectomy to ensure it.. heh). I'm only 23 years old, and even though I have a great career, I'll lose my mind spending all this time in the office. I need a change, and going back to school for marine engineering sounds exactly the change/career I'm looking for. Hopefully you guys could answer a few questions: I'm a Canadian, so I'll be looking at schools here. Anybody know which school offers the best engineering program? Is it pretty tough to get in the schools here? I did fairly well in highschool and took all the advance sciences/maths etc. But I did go to university for a year where I got couple D's and a whole bunch of W's. Is it more difficult to get jobs outside of your nationality? I'm still confused on the process, is it a pain to get working Visas for going on ships based in a foreign countries? If I'm flexible with what I can do (although my preference would be long stints where I get lots of continuous time off to travel) how much can I expect to get paid right out of school?
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Nov 5, 2012 03:49
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FrozenVent posted:Canadians don't need US Visas! You don't need Work Visas to work in the US? is this specific to the maritime industry? Cause if so....  FrozenVent posted:Do you have a DUI on file? If there's anything that could bar you from entering the US, as a Canadian, that's the end of your career right there. Edit: ok, it isn't, but you're going to need waivers from the embassy. Get started on that process NOW. No convictions whatsoever. I live in Calgary right now, so I'll obviously be moving. BCIT would be nice because I have lots of friends in Van, it's close to home, and I can ride my motorbike all year. But I'm not too picky, I wouldn't have a problem with moving to St. Johns or Ontario. I barely speak french, which is too bad because going to school in Quebec would be nice.
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Nov 5, 2012 16:55
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That's great. Thanks for the advice. At the moment money isn't a problem (oil&gas  ) so the luxury of living in Van far outweighs the cost for me. I'm looking at the BCIT coop program, and it's almost 21 months! I think I'm going to aim for that. Hopefully they provide good placement, I'll give them a call tomorrow and get some details.
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Nov 6, 2012 03:28
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FrozenVent posted:By all mean, also look at the other school. St. John's is in a surprisingly nice place to study at, from what I've heard... It looks like in the third coop term you will be acting as a third. Which seems like a good way to set yourself up for 2nd nice and quickly. Anybody know anything about ships using LNG as fuel? It seems pretty interesting but it doesn't look like there any ships here in North America. I wonder how you could get into that.
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Nov 8, 2012 02:09
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Two Finger posted:It's just LNG carriers that use the boiloff gas as fuel. They generally have massive steam plant powering steam turbines, but newer diesel technology can now use it as well. I was looking into these kinda ships. http://www.lngworldnews.com/norway-worlds-first-lng-powered-cargo-ship-launched/ Also, if you start working on a turbine ship, do you pretty much stick to that? I'd like to work on an LNG carrier (steam turbine) but I'm worried that I'll limit my knowledge to steam turbine. Is that usually the case with engineers? Either Diesel or Steam?
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Nov 8, 2012 02:32
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Two Finger posted:I'm only getting a motor ticket because I've never worked on steam propulsion. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bwce4uTM_EHiWGpMRXlNOGVUT1E/edit That presentation is a pretty good introduction as to what exists out there. The economics on slide 26 look pretty good. But I'm not sure how much I would trust it. even if it is accurate there's always the cost of creating the infrastructure for refueling. It's interesting how only Europe has ships and they have very high natural gas prices, but in NA gas is so cheap it's pretty much free but we have no ships. NA already has infrastructure for LNG tankers, so I imagine creating infrastructure for refueling wouldn't be too much of a giant leap. It's interesting to where this could go. Of course, I have no idea I just started looking into maritime technology. But working in oil&gas has taught me is that there's poo poo all for oil left in the world, while natural gas is literally all over the world and tons of it to boot. This page has a bunch of presentations on LNG power: http://www.imar.ca/en/events/lng-fuel-for-ships/ Cool, maybe Canada will build the first LNG ships https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bwce4uTM_EHiUFM4OVBDTm5PYms/edit 
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Nov 8, 2012 03:18
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I had a great conversation with the guy that works in the marine engineering dept at BCIT. He told me that in the past 8 years he's placed cadets on cruise ships, tankers, the lakes, foreign cargo, a few other things I missed, and then he listed a bunch of companies he's done placements with. So that leaves me fairly optimistic, even if he is buttering it up a bit. He also told me that most of the cadets get their second two years after graduation, since they do the tests for second in the fourth year of the school, you just need the experience after you're done.
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Nov 16, 2012 00:54
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I'm doing it. I got fed up with my job so I''m moving to the coast and starting school for Marine Engineering. I've been thinking about this for a long time, ever since I first read this thread a couple years go. It sucks starting a new career at 26 but it could be a lot worse. A couple questions: How much fabricating and machining work happens on a ship? I really like welding and making sparks fly, but I have a feeling that might be out of the scope of marine engineering. Related to the recent discussion about gyms. I'm would like to work the more lengthy jobs >3 months so it would be nice to have good accommodations in those situations. But what are my chances landing on a boat with a good gym? What are the gyms generally like? And I am a Canadian Citizen. But I am getting a EU passport. Will I have any advantages with that?
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Apr 21, 2015 04:01
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Going to BCIT
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Apr 21, 2015 04:21
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I'm not too worried about the money. I'm from Calgary and have a whole bunch of oil & gas money saved up. The housing situation doesn't look too bad for me right now, especially coming from Calgary where renting is even worse (I'm actually selling my house though). What concerns me is not getting sea time and a job. Is it really that bad? I'm going to into this for the money. I don't care if I have to takes months at a time at sea if it means I can payed better. I'll check out this college in Netherlands.
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Apr 21, 2015 15:06
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eh. The marine engineering programs in Europe is a masters program so that's out of the question.
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Apr 21, 2015 15:52
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I was thinking St. Johns, but the deadline was already passed up. I could consider Europe next year if I don't like it at BCIT. I'm not too worried about debt. I've got enough oil money to sustain me for a while. I'm mostly worried about getting jobs after graduation. I want to be on big loving ships that pay well. I don't care if it's far from home either. I'm not leaving anything behind. Kindest Forums User fucked around with this message at 23:51 on Apr 21, 2015 |
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Apr 21, 2015 23:49
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It looks like I have a handful of misconceptions here haha. I guess my priorities in a career are two things: 1) pays well 2) long voyages I'm interested in having long stretches of vacation time to do some intense travelling. And the funds to go with. It'd be nice to work on some neato big ships when I am out at sea. It sounds like I might be demanding a lot here. I guess I was under the impression marine engineers have pretty good options. Is that not the case for Canadians? What's going to be holding me back to meet my criteria?
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Apr 22, 2015 00:24
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What's the offshore business like in terms of voyage length? And can I work in the States? And can you take multiple voyages back to back? Say something was only two weeks, I do that for four consecutive times so I can be out for 2 months. Kindest Forums User fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Apr 22, 2015 |
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Apr 22, 2015 01:18
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drat. Well. I guess I should just wait a year and try the UK or Dutch. I can't seem to find anything that's English in the Netherlands yet. Any suggestions for the UK programs?
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Apr 22, 2015 03:01
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Wow the UK charges an arm and a leg for tuition. Even for EU Citizens. Guess I'm learning Dutch. Which is pretty exciting. It looks like Delft University is the best? I have no idea but it seems the biggest at least. edit: errr. Looks like I missed a lot of options. Delft doesn't look like a licensed program. It's a bachelors program which is strange. double dutch edit: It looks like the Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz Terschelling is the place to go. But I'm still guessing. They do train for both deck and engine as a single program by the looks of it. Anyways I won't apply anytime soon. Not until I can even understand the application form. Gonna move to the Netherlands sometime this summer and learn the language for the next year. I'll give ya'll a trip report. Kindest Forums User fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Apr 22, 2015 |
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Apr 22, 2015 05:16
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Got laid off in a bad way. So I don't have the funds to commit to Netherlands. If there was an English program I'd be down. But just taking a year learning dutch will cost somewhere around 15,000 - 20,000 CDN. So I'm going to go to the Marine Institute in Newfoundland. I missed the deadline so I'm going to take a year of steel fabrication in Moncton (last available welding program in the Atlantics other than expensive private colleges) until the program starts. Anybody have thoughts on the MI? I was also thinking of going to the Nova Scotia Community College, but it looks like MI might be better. And living in St. Johns will be sweet.
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May 7, 2015 18:45
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That's reassuring to know. Glad I made the right choice.
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May 7, 2015 23:41
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Do ships with workshops have mills in addition to lathes? How often do you actually make parts?
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Jan 9, 2016 18:11
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lightpole posted:I've never seen a mill and lathes are usually hit or miss since someone probably hosed it up thinking they knew what they were doing. If you need a part to make the engine go and you don't have it but can figure out a way to make it then you make it. If you are any good at machining you can usually get some time though. I'd figure that much. It's amazing the lengths people will go to gently caress up a machine. I have a background in machining and would consider myself a"very good" machinist with great references. When I start looking for jobs or cadetship as an engineer, will that experience help me land more lucrative position?
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Jan 9, 2016 20:35
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I got accepted into Memorial for their marine engineering program. pretty stoked. Am I making the worst decision or the best decision?
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Apr 8, 2016 13:58
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Yeah I'm not stoked on the weather. I'm currently going to school in NB which is similarly lovely, but not as bad as NL by the sounds of it. I'm going to try and ride my motorcycle through the winter like I did here, so wish me luck. Since some of you guys have gone to the MI, I hope you can answer a few questions that have been on my mind: What is the class size for the engineering program at the beginning and the end? I'm already pretty comfortable in the machine shop, but I do enjoy working with metals so I was hoping I could take the workshop time to do my own projects. Are the flexible enough to allow me to do that sort of thing? And do they have heat treatment by any chance? Is the gym in the MI any good? I'm 27 now and it's been a while since I've done any of the core subjects. I've been slowly going through the khan academy math program with the intention to be comfortable at the grade 12 level. I have brushed up my chemistry and physics a little bit through my interest in electronics and metallurgy. But is there anything specific you guys might suggest that would help prepare me before getting thrown into the program? I've got the months of July and August to take the time and get myself ready.
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Apr 9, 2016 13:46
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flashman posted:One hundred percent you can't drive your motorcycle all year and most of your classes are going to be in winter months. You'll probably have about 40 to start and 25 finish. Your workshop time is probably going to be pretty easy stuff but they usually stick to the curriculum and probably won't let you go ham with your own crap. The gym at the marine is not that good but you have access to all memorial universities amenities and they have some good poo poo down there. noice. Thanks for the info. Hopefully I can take advantage of the workshop, I'm constantly breaking things on my bike I think I'm still going to make an attempt with my motorcycle. The worst days for riding is when there are huge sheets of ice on the road. I'll take the bus on those days. I'll be getting larger studs this year too, the ice might not even be an issue at that point. How do they generally place you for the work terms anyways? is it luck of a draw kinda thing, or do they go by grades and performance. Or is it something you figure out on your own?
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Apr 10, 2016 00:53
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how has the downturn affected job prospects for offshore? Although I imagine things will be a lot different when I finish up. yeah the whole motorcycle thing has caused a lot of conflict for me. Nobody has a garage or anything suitable to store my tools, parts, and bike. So I've settled on renting a storage unit near Avalon Mall and find an apartment nearby. I'll try this for a year and see how manageable it is. Slush and snow is fun to ride in though, it's the ice that concerns me.
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Apr 10, 2016 01:21
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have people worked for the Canadian Coast Guard if you didn't go to their school?
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May 20, 2016 02:48
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What about the heavy ice breakers?
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May 20, 2016 11:29
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Do marine engineers take part of shoreside maintenance?
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May 21, 2016 03:01
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StopShootingMe posted:Do you mean, do they do maintenance ashore, or do they assist when maintenance is done by contractors in port? Both I suppose. Although I guess it's implied they do with the former
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May 21, 2016 14:05
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do you need to speak french to work for the Canadian Coast Guard?
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Aug 23, 2016 23:00
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Was thinking of the icebreakers in St. John's
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Aug 24, 2016 01:05
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And the schools here in Canada are literally begging for attendance, so you can always go that route. (and none of the admission requirements are actually enforced )
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Apr 7, 2017 01:00
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FrozenVent posted:In theory you're too late for a fall 2017 start, but that's nothing a phone call to the registrar won't fix. There were students that registered a week before the program started last fall and got in. Now, that's only if you decide to go engineering. I'm pretty sure nautical science is a different scenario
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Apr 7, 2017 20:42
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there was some students that didn't even have the required classes, let alone grades, and got in
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Apr 7, 2017 20:52
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Any Canadians here know anything about the new manilla regulations for certificates?? It looks pretty ridiculous to me, it seems that you can get your chiefs almost immediately after you do officers school program. Is that correct?
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May 29, 2017 00:19
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quote not edit
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May 29, 2017 00:20
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I'm looking to do a cadet term on an international line. the domestic stuff I've done here in Canada is lacking... My goal is to learn as much as possible, and from what people are telling me, my best best is working international. Unfortunately, our placement office doesn't have much advice how to get a work term/ job with anything outside of Canada. anybody have recommendations?
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Sep 28, 2018 23:59
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