Assuming you are already accustomed to being on a boat, there are very few opportunities to explore this field before actually enrolling in a maritime program or applying at union halls or shipping companies. Beginners can hire on a vessel as ordinary seamen to see if they like working onboard. Individuals who already have some training or experience (for instance, as a cook, waiter, electrician, or engineer) might hire on for a voyage to try the experience. If near a port, an aspiring merchant mariner could visit a vessel in port by contacting a steamship company. Visiting coastal ports (e.g., in Maine or California) is a good idea.
- Ambassadors
- Antiques and Art Dealers
- Automotive Dealership Owners
- Boilermakers and Mechanics
- Buyers
- Commodities Brokers
- Cultural Advisers
- Customs Brokers
- Customs Officials
- Diesel Mechanics
- Economists
- Engineers
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- Export-Import Specialists
- Federal and State Officials
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Foreign Service Officers
- Grain Merchants
- Industrial Traffic Managers
- Internet Transaction Specialists
- Interpreters
- Logistics Analysts
- Logistics Engineers
- Management Analysts and Consultants
- Marine Engineers
- Marine Services Technicians
- Purchasing Agents
- Retail Business Owners
- Ship's Captains
- Stevedores
- Supply Chain Managers
- Translators
- Transportation Engineers
- Transportation Planners