EDMONDS — Fast track your way into the wheelhouse.
That’s a recruitment pitch from Washington State Ferries.
The agency is seeking 12 people for full-ride scholarships to the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies in Seattle to become deck officers. The two-year apprenticeship begins in February 2025.
“This is a great opportunity for a beginner that has no maritime experience to get a free education and be ready to step on the decks and move quickly to be a licensed deck officer,” said ferry spokesperson Dana Warr. “It’s a great way to move into a very good paying job without any debt.”
Starting pay for a licensed deck officer is $97,000 to $104,000. Each scholarship is worth over $100,000, including a $200 daily stipend for each day of training aboard a ferry.
Applicants must be at least 18½ years old and take a basic math exam online. Proof of U.S. citizenship is a U.S. Coast Guard requirement for licensed credentials.
The essay questions include why you’re interested in pursuing this career and what strengths or skills you bring.
The application deadline is June 30.
This is the second consecutive year for the scholarships.
“Programs like this help the ferries build a pipeline of candidates we can hire,” Warr said. “Crewing will be addressed quicker.”
Sailings are at times canceled due to lack of crew. Vessel shortages are another issue.
“We’ve seen substantial decreases in crew cancellations from last year,” he said. “We are still not out of the woods. We are still in need of credentialed mariners.”
The agency recently hosted a career day for high school students.
“They can entertain a career they want to dip their toes in,” Warr said.
Find more information at mitags.org.
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.
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