How much technical training do straight deck majors get?

I

illq

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Jan 14, 2024
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I've accepted my appointment to USMMA and am determined to go Deck. However, I'd still like to learn some technical skills like welding, wiring, etc.
As I've been reading these forums I've seen a lot of engineering majors talk about the versatility of their engineering curriculum as well as the hands-on technical training and experience they get with fixing things(pardon my ignorance), but not really much for deck. I tried looking at the forums but all I could find was a post from 2010 about a 'ships officer major'. I know that there is a marine engineering for deck officers class in what looks like 1/c year, so for all the deck majors here, I just wanted to ask, do you guys get much technical training at all?
 
My two KP kids ('13 and '21,) both deckies, got lots of hands on training both on campus and at sea. Most of their training was in ship driving through some very awesome simulators at KP and some actual bridge time at sea. As a deckie, you will also get an introduction to welding on campus and get to practice there. You will have experiences at sea that will vary widely depending on the ships you get. My DD had two months of doing welding for several hours everyday working on ship repairs at sea. She became very proficient. Even as a deck cadet my kids worked in the engine room at times when help was needed on minor repairs. Your experience may vary depending on the ship, the captain and the chief engineer, but you will definitely come away from KP with new hands on skills even as a deck major.
 
kpmom2013 said:
My two KP kids ('13 and '21,) both deckies, got lots of hands on training both on campus and at sea. Most of their training was in ship driving through some very awesome simulators at KP and some actual bridge time at sea. As a deckie, you will also get an introduction to welding on campus and get to practice there. You will have experiences at sea that will vary widely depending on the ships you get. My DD had two months of doing welding for several hours everyday working on ship repairs at sea. She became very proficient. Even as a deck cadet my kids worked in the engine room at times when help was needed on minor repairs. Your experience may vary depending on the ship, the captain and the chief engineer, but you will definitely come away from KP with new hands on skills even as a deck major.
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Thank you!
 
My DH went to KP when you could still get a dual degree and he loved it. He worked as an officer but loved his training as an engineer and would say it helped his career. My DS is sad they don’t allow that dual degree any longer.
 
Slightly off topic but while doing his team capstone at USNA, it came up over and over again that he could weld and fabricate and do mechanical repairs and troubleshooting. Growing up in a rural area with a MacGyver dad sure helped. DS built his own forge and pneumatic hammer for blacksmithing.

I wish all kids had an opportunity to have more hands on during their yourth.

Happy to hear USMMA will take care of those skills.
 
Heatherg21 said:
Slightly off topic but while doing his team capstone at USNA, it came up over and over again that he could weld and fabricate and do mechanical repairs and troubleshooting. Growing up in a rural area with a MacGyver dad sure helped. DS built his own forge and pneumatic hammer for blacksmithing.

I wish all kids had an opportunity to have more hands on during their yourth.

Happy to hear USMMA will take care of those skills.
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Thats the beauty of a Kings Point Marine Engineering degree. You learn all the things a mechanical engineering student will learn plus trade skills like welding, pipefitting, electrical, boiler and diesel maintenance, HVAC. I went in the Navy after KP and I was the only officer aboard ship that could weld, change out a pump mechanical seal and do valve adjustments on the diesel generator. Unlike the Navy where the officers aboard ship fill more administrative roles the officers on commercial ships especially the engineers would do the jobs normally done by the enlisted machinist mates, hull technicians and boiler techs since there are no enlisted personnel. An aircraft carrier has 5000 people on it while a supertanker which is just as large may have a crew of 25 people on it.
 
KPEngnr90 said:
Deckies with tools? A dangerous concept. 😅
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out here in the non-maritime word, most technical/mechanical folks are terrified at the idea of engineers getting anywhere near the tool box!

(fully realizing that there's a difference between an "operating engineer" and a PE.)
 
ColoGator said:
out here in the non-maritime word, most technical/mechanical folks are terrified at the idea of engineers getting anywhere near the tool box!

(fully realizing that there's a difference between an "operating engineer" and a PE.)
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LOL, years ago I was a project manager for the re-injection compressors on the Alaskan pipeline, specifically the gearboxes. They were being tested at a major compressor manufacturer in New Jersey. Things were not going well with the Navy “surplus” steam turbine that had been purchased for testing so I volunteered to rebuild the governor. We were up and running the next day! Your mechanical engineer out of a traditional college/university setting would not be able to do that!
 
ColoGator said:
out here in the non-maritime word, most technical/mechanical folks are terrified at the idea of engineers getting anywhere near the tool box!

(fully realizing that there's a difference between an "operating engineer" and a PE.)
Click to expand...
Alot of KP engineers are PE's
 
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