Registered Apprenticeship and Training for Maritime Careers: Tools and Resources

These career opportunities align with Executive Order 14269, Restoring America's Maritime Dominance. This information is adapted from the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration. Visit Educating the Maritime Workforce | MARAD to learn more.

Afloat Apprenticeships & Entry-Level Jobs

• SIU Paul Hall Center Apprentice Program: A premier, completely tuition-free training program for entry-level afloat mariners. Includes free room, board, and a guaranteed union job.
• Military Sealift Command (MSC) Careers: Apply directly for immediate, paid entry-level federal civilian jobs (Ordinary Seaman, Wiper, Steward) aboard Navy support vessels.
• Commercial Tug & Barge Pipelines: Companies like Kirby Corporation, Vane Brothers, and McAllister Towing routinely hire "Green Deckhands" with zero experience and pay for all your on-the-job training and Coast Guard credentialing.
• State Ferry Systems: Look into municipal ferry fleets for afloat careers where workers return home each night. Systems like Washington State Ferries or the Alaska Marine Highway System routinely hire entry-level deckhands and wipers with comprehensive state benefits.

Ashore & Shipyard Union Apprenticeships

• Apprenticeship.gov Search Tool: The U.S. Dept. of Labor portal. Search "Marine Pipefitter," "Shipwright," or "Marine Electrician" to find paid ashore apprenticeships.
• Ashore Trade Unions: Many major coastal shipyards partner with organized building trades. Applying directly to a local union hall for 100% free training, a paid apprenticeship, and direct job placement. Look into local chapters of:
  • International Brotherhood of Boilermakers: For aspiring shipfitters, welders, and heavy riggers.
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): For marine electricians and shipyard power technicians.
  • United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC): They represent not just carpenters, but highly specialized marine piledrivers and commercial divers.

Port Operations & Cargo Handling (Longshoremen & Stevedores) Apprenticeships & Entry-Level Jobs

Working at the ports operating massive cranes, driving terminal tractors, and managing shipping containers is a highly specialized, lucrative ashore career. Entry is managed almost entirely by union hiring halls, where new workers typically start as "casuals" (part-time, day-labor) to earn hours toward full union membership and training.

• International Longshoremen's Association (ILA): The largest union of maritime workers in North America, representing longshoremen on the East Coast, Gulf Coast, Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, and Inland Waterways.
• International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU): Represents longshoremen and port workers primarily on the West Coast, Hawaii, and Alaska.
• Employer Associations: To find out when a local port is holding a lottery to hire new "casual" workers, monitor the employer organizations that partner with the unions. Look at the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) for the West Coast, and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) for the East and Gulf Coasts.

Centers of Excellence

The Department of Transportation designates outstanding training providers across the country as Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) selects these providers for their high-quality career paths, programming that supports national infrastructure, and support for workforce development.

Find a Center of Excellence in your state or territory: MARAD Centers of Excellence Dashboard

Other Federal Programs

• Job Corps Seamanship Programs: Free vocational training, room, and board for eligible youth (ages 16–24) to earn Coast Guard ratings.

Related Resources

YouthBuild Apprenticeship Resource Collection

Sample Apprenticeship Aptitude Practice Exams

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