Photo: Second session of TECH Program commences

Participating in the second session of The Engineering Candidate Hawsepipe (TECH) Program are (in no particular order) William Sharp, Zackary Felton, Joseph Dickinson, Michael Cross, Jonathon Foulks, Ryan Aaron, Bailey Chandler, Trent Jacobsen and Ethan Schoenbucher. With them here are STAR Center Director of Training Phil Shullo, STAR Center Instructor Kristin Dridge and AMO National Assistant Vice President David Weathers. American Maritime Officers, working collaboratively with the Seafarers International Union and the training divisions of the benefit plans of both unions, developed the TECH Program, which provides an accelerated pathway for entry-level mariners to advance to original third assistant engineers. The TECH program is designed to take qualified and motivated high school graduates from unlicensed apprentice to third assistant engineer, motor, with an STCW endorsement, through approximately 30 months of classroom, laboratory and shipboard training.