Six Engineering Majors from the class of 2008 are giving up 2 winter weekends to spend 40 hours in the classroom to prep for their USCG 100 Ton Masters License. Hoping to be the first in thier class to have a license, these six Midshipmen are also the first group of a program that will hopefully develop into a sort of "Ship's Officer" program for engineers. The 100 Ton license will allow them to operate most ferries, harbor tugs, and small passenger vessels, as well as give them the knowledge to better integrate with deck officers aboard ship. The first step in the program developed by Power Squadron Advisor Rob Asma and GMATS instructor Matt Germann consisted of recording all time spent by the Midshipmen aboard the Academies training fleet. Time spent aboard commercial ships as engine cadets can not be used for a deck license. After visiting the Coast Guard Exam Center to be evaluated, the midshipman are brushing up on many of the same subjects as thier deck counterparts. If all goes well the first USCG Licenses to be awarded to the Class of 2008 will be in just a few weeks. Good luck to our Waterfront Engineers.
Posts
