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Deckhand Jobs Are In Great Demand For The Maritime Industry

By Sid | June 18, 2008

Maritime jobs are readily available for dedicated hardworking people. Even if you don’t have an overwhelming love of the ocean, you can still find a career to your liking that deals with water. Find out about the jobs available to you.

Do you have a degree in engineering? The shipping industry wouldn’t be what it is without the main component - ships. Each year jobs on cruise ships become more available due to cruise lines adding several ships to their fleets to attract more passengers and garner a significant corner of the market.

Ships aren’t built by themselves. Engineers and construction workers are some of the people hired to do the job. Building a new ship involves design specifications, building models, and outfitting the ships with the latest technologically advanced equipment.

New sources of energy are being found in the planet’s oceans. These waters need to be explored to learn more about its delicate ecosystem. That is where marine biologists come into the picture. Scientists are an important part of the maritime industry. They work to keep sea life from being adversely affected by sea travel and find ways for the maritime industry to operate environment-friendly.

Maritime jobs on land are involved in running shipping companies and port operations. There will be port managers who schedule the arrival and departure times of ships. They are responsible for ordering checks on cargo and to be sure that all vehicles abide by the laws that govern the port. Individual companies have shipbuilding operations and administrative duties to contend with. Qualified people are needed in these maritime industry careers to keep the shipping business going.

Jobs in the maritime industry are controlled by their own standards. All of these positions require at least an undergraduate degree in the area of choice. Scientific and technology positions may require additional degrees to be competitive in the field. Benefits are set down by the company and pay is dependent on experienced and education.

It’s different for jobs on the water. Maritime code dictates the way that ships are run. You have a captain who is the judge and jury so to speak on the ship. Each person has someone to report to and that chain of command is respected.

Alaska’s fishing industry has a high demand for employees. During the summer months, salmon are the most sought after species of fish and vessels make salmon runs until the season ends. On a fishing boat, a new person will most likely start on the slime line processing the fish. Those who are interested in moving up can tell the captain of their interest in becoming a deckhand or a processing manager. A job in offshore fishing can become a very lucrative and rewarding option for anyone who works hard and is dedicated to doing a good job.

Deckhands on most boats are eligible for part of the ship’s take at the end of the season. Processors are paid by the hour and for overtime. Officers, deckhands, and the captain split the total take with the captain retaining the biggest share. As you gain experience, you can apply for higher ranking positions.

Moving up the promotion ladder takes experience and education on many sea vessels. Working for a company, benefits include health care. As a summer worker on fishing vessels, you are responsible for your own healthcare but room and board are covered or subsidized by whoever hired you. With so much work and overtime, you stand to carry most of your pay back home at the end of the season.

Employees get great benefits and perks when working for cruise ship lines. Pay increases with the job and experience. Concessionaire companies also hire for cruise ship positions with commissions on sales and the perk of living on a ship and seeing exotic ports.

Each maritime job has its own benefits and promotion tracks. Even if the pay is low at the start, the benefits and adventure of the job may make up for that.

Topics: The Workplace |

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