Does any one know how to become a driver for trading-ships?

$90K for four years might be a good deal if it leads to a good high-paying career. I watched a news segment last night about a young couple who both financed degrees at elite universities. Now that they've graduated, they owe $250,000 and have no jobs. They seemed surprised that their big-buck degrees weren't a ticket to prosperity, and that they're actually expected to pay that borrowed money back.

My $2500 tuition for a CDL at the local community college seems like a good investment in comparison; even if I have trouble finding work, I won't be bankrupt or in debt for decades!

But, I won't get to drive a trading-ship!

 

Down here on the Gulf, as most bodies or waterways I'm sure, it's easy to get started but takes years to work
your way to captain.

With all the boats and ships servicing the offshore rigs, you can start as a deckhand or motorman for anywhere
from $125 to $200 a day. Once you get started you just gotta work your way up which can be done.

I know plenty guys, most in their late 30's early 40's that have made captain. There are some younger ones
but not many.

 

All I know is that if the job forecast for "piloting" a ship is anything like "piloting" an airplane, steer clear. Starting at 13-21k in the regionals, and school cost in upwards of 65-100k. Did I mention alot of pilots don't even making it out of the "regional pay" ever in their career? I thought this thread would originally be about trucks that transport containers and as others have said, probably not the most informative place to come. You need the ship community version of truckersreport.com, I'm sure one exsist.

 

"Salaries can vary widely depending on the size and type of vessels involved. Captains with many years of experience working on container ships, oil tankers, or passenger ships may earn $100,000 or more each year. Captains of tugboats also tend to earn high pay. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that ship captains, mates, and marine pilots, studied as a group, earned an average salary of $67,730 in 2008."

http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/careers/105657.html

 

This is a truck driving forum.

What the heck do we know about trade ships?

 

Well I know more about it now then before the thread started, how about you?

 

We have a winner that reminds me of some chick on the news owes 130,000 after school no job didnt do community college for 2 years had to go big and wants people to help her pay her loan off. I mean WTF and you got a degree

 

....

 

this might help . . .
http://www.maritimejobs.com/
I Googled 'maritime jobs'