job market

Discussion in 'Education' started by sheldoncustom, Sep 16, 2004.

  1. sheldoncustom
    Joined: Sep 2004
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: beaufort, sc

    sheldoncustom New Member

    I have received a lot of very good information. People form all walks of the field have responded to my questions with tremendous kindness. I have received a lot of information that goes one of two ways. Some responded saying college is the only way to go. Ive got to have a p.e. to even be considered an engineer in my state (SC). Some way no knowledge that is taught at a university can come close to the knowledge taught in the field. I grew up on boats. Sailed a few good times and spent most of my summers and weekends in Port Royal sound. My question is simply if i attend a trade school (landing school) what are my odds of making it in the marine industry. I noticed that Grady White was looking to hire someone recently that simply had a good working knowledge of CAD. Im about to graduate from a tech school in the spring and I want to go to the landing school in the fall. What kind of a shot do I have getting a job with say grady-white, or mako or any established company like that?
     
  2. S Hondros
    Joined: Oct 2003
    Posts: 29
    Likes: 0, Points: 1, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Greensboro, NC

    S Hondros Carolina Flare

    Situation

    Your situation sounds a lot like mine. I am from NC and went to NC State then decided to go to a tech school that had an architecture program. I went to the landing school last year to look around and see the school. Coming back from the landing school i decided before i go there hopefully next fall to work in the marine industry for a year and learn how boats are actually built from the ground up before i start my path on learing to design. I interviewed at grady white a bunch for a job in the engineering dept. as a tech. doing CAD building prototypes etc. Ended up giving the job to a guy with a desing degree. but to answer your question i think they would definately offer you a job after attending the landing school and maybe now for the CAD position. Currently i am very glad having worked for a few months now that i decided to work in the industry at the bottome level buildinng boats and grinding fiberglass. It has given me a new found respect for what goes into a design as well as experience in a boat building environment. I currently work at Jones Brothers Marine in Morehead City, NC.

    Hope some of this is helpful

    Scott R. Hondros
     
  3. jehardiman
    Joined: Aug 2004
    Posts: 3,762
    Likes: 1,152, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 2040
    Location: Port Orchard, Washington, USA

    jehardiman Senior Member

    Sheldoncustom;

    Naval Architecture and boat building; is the last true guild; in all the good and bad things that says. You have to do your “time” and other people must recognize that “time” and accept it. There are people who consider me the technical expert in what I do (and if I say so myself, I am :D). But, I wouldn't even get an invite to the Ancient Interface because “they” don't know who I am or what I do.

    As a student out of Webb after two years I couldn't get a job in a boat shop because I was over qualified, they wanted craftsmen. And I couldn't get a job in design office, because I hadn't finished; they wanted engineers. And the boat shop employed engineers to guide the craftsmen and the design office employed craftsmen to guide the engineers.

    You need to choose a path, craftsman, boatbuilder, or Naval Architect. One over the others, and nebulous space between craftsman and Naval Architect is only for someone with the wherewithal to make it on his or her own, or you will end up working for someone else. And what that requires is not only skill and luck, but also the ability to hype that skill or luck into a paying job. Many “well respected” “designers” were really not that good when you dissect all their work closely. But they all had one or more “classic” creations. Sometimes, one good design is all it takes; other times you could “fail” at the highest level to a 0.001% better boat (like an ACC designer) and never get another commission because you “failed”. It is not fair.

    Your ability to go out on your own after working under a well known "name" depends upon your ability to sell yourself when there. If you never meet the clients, you are invisible. If you try to make yourself known, you are a "grandstander" just looking to steal the clients. It is a very fine line. I work with a designer who worked for a major designer then went out on his own; and designed and built championship sailboats. There were not enough of those types of boats to support a wife and young family. He is pigeon holed in a tech job. He has the background to be an engineer, but he hasn’t dotted all the “I”s and crossed all the “T”s. Until he does that he will never advance, and he is not working in the field that made him successful as a boat designer. He is in limbo, but the job pays. I am in a field where I cannot say what I do. I love my job but I will never be recognized for what I have done and what I will do, and most often someone else claims credit for building the first unit to do such and such…it sucks, but the job is neat and I’m not doing weights for a living :D .


    “The game is rigged, but if you don’t play, you can’t win”….R.H.
     

  4. Eric Sponberg
    Joined: Dec 2001
    Posts: 2,021
    Likes: 248, Points: 73, Legacy Rep: 2917
    Location: On board Corroboree

    Eric Sponberg Senior Member

    SheldonCustom,

    I served on the Program Advisory Board for the Landing School's Design Program for 7 years, so I know it very well. I was also on the selection committee that hired the head designer there now, Steve Dalzell (pronounced Day-ELL).

    The Landing School has a job placement service for all of its graduates and alumni. If you complete one of the courses, you will be entitled to all of the job postings that the Landing School has for the rest of your life. Their placement rate for jobs for new graduates is better than 95%, proven over a 5-year period.

    With a certificate from the Landing School, you will most likely get a job with either a boat builder, a designer/naval architect, or a marine/boatyard. It is much harder to get into the field on your own. But you can have a satisfying career.

    Regards,

    Eric
     
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