TANKERMAN CAREER ACADEMY

If you meet the admission requirements and can pay the tuition (or you believe you can qualify for a student loan to cover the tuition), then the next step is to attend an Information Session in your area. At the information session, you will have the opportunity to connect with one of our TCA recruiters and get more detailed information regarding the training program and application process.

The training is typically offered in four locations: Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Bridge City, Texas; Corpus Christi, Texas; and Pasadena, Texas. The locations may vary depending on our need for tankermen in each area.

The training program lasts for four months.

It depends on the company’s need for tankermen. At a maximum, the program will run three times/year.

The tankerman’s role is critical to our nation’s petroleum and chemical shipping industry. The tankerman serves as the person-in-charge of critical operations, with responsiblity for protecting the environment by ensuring the safe transfer of petrochemicals to barges. Tankermen must be certified by the U.S. Coast Guard. There are two types of tankermen: boat tankermen and shore tankermen. PSC only employs shore tankermen who live at home and travel to various work sites.

A Merchant Mariner’s Credential (MMC) from the U.S. Coast Guard is required to work as a tankerman. To obtain a MMC, the Coast Guard requires that you receive extensive, documented, hands-on training in transfer operations and demonstrate competency with these duties. You must also complete Coast Guard-approved courses in cargo handling and tank barge firefighting. Furthermore, only a qualified company such as PSC Group can formally nominate an applicant for a MMC.

You must also have a Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC) to work as a tankerman.
VISIT TSA.GOV to learn more about TWIC requirements.

Bring a pen and paper to take notes.

Most of our tankermen work on an “on call” basis. Those who are on call work for a stretch of six days, and then they are off for three days. During their six work days, our tankermen are dispatched for work around-the-clock in a “rotation” order. Students may expect to train for at least 40 hours each payroll week; however, they may end up working more than 40 hours/week. Many tankermen frequently work 50-hour weeks. However, no amount of overtime is guaranteed.

From new employee orientation until the employee obtains his/her MMC from the Coast Guard, the program lasts approximately four months. During those four months, the student will undergo a few weeks of classroom training with the balance being hands-on training. The student will be paid $15 per hour during the training, plus overtime if application, and for mileage. The first three days of school will be spent in various orientations, followed by five days of on-the-job training where the student works with a tankerman instructor on actual cargo transfer operations, experiencing first-hand what tankering is all about, so that he/she can make the most informed decision about continuing in the program. The cargo handling course will be interspersed throughout a 60-day period of on-the-job training, until complete, and will be conducted at one of PSC’s training centers. Students who continue will be paired with a tankerman instructor with whom they will begin training on a “6 & 3” schedule. After the student completes 60 days of hands-on training, PSC Group will assist the student with applying to the Coast Guard to obtain a MMC. Provided there are no problems discovered by the Coast Guard in the application process, the student will be classified as a “Level I Tankerman” upon successful graduation from the training program and receipt of his/her MMC from the Coast Guard.

There is a high demand for U.S. Coast Guard-certified tankermen to meet the needs of the petrochemical industry. Graduates who have successfully completed the TCA training program and received the Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) may qualify for tankerman job opportunities with PSC and other companies. Eligibility for continued employment with PSC after graduation depends upon the student’s overall performance during training, his/her level of competence at graduation, and PSC’s staffing needs. This is not an offer or guarantee of continued employment.

It depends on the company’s needs in each geographic area at the time of enrollment. The number of students in Pasadena, Texas, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is normally larger than the number of students in Bridge City, Texas or Corpus Christi, Texas.

No. Students are responsible for their own housing and living expenses during the training.

It depends on the type of felony and when you were convicted. There are a number of convictions that would disqualify you from receiving a Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC).

VISIT TSA.GOV  TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TWIC REQUIREMENTS

The U.S. Coast Guard will also conduct a criminal background check as part of the application process for a Merchant Mariner’s Credential (MMC), which is required for work as a tankerman. For more information, click the link below or call the National Maritime Helpdesk at 1-888-427-5662.

VISIT ECFR.GOV TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MMC REQUIREMENTS

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