Want to go to sea? Or maybe support seagoing vessels in welding, pipefitting, or plumbing jobs?
There are numerous jobs in the maritime trade in the Mobile area that awaiting filling by qualified employees, Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said, and the department is launching an initiative to fill them.
Most maritime jobs pay more than $17 an hour – $37,170 a year – up to $42.99 an hour – $89,419 a year.
Here are some examples of available jobs and the hourly wage: Structural metal fabricators and fitters, $17.87; welders, $18.34; layout workers $19.36; sailors and marine oilers $19.69; plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, $20.24; electricians $22.43; captains, mates and pilots of water vessels, $42.99.
“We know there is a need in the Mobile area for maritime workers, from welders to ship fitters, and we are hearing from employers that they’re having trouble finding qualified workers. We are hoping to fix that with this initiative,” Washington said in a release. “It’s always been our goal to match workers with jobs. We are simply focusing on one specific need right now.”
Washington said the department is working with Mobile-area community colleges, local governments, chambers of commerce, regional groups, and maritime employers and is encouraging interested jobseekers to take advantage of free training opportunities in order to become qualified for these highly competitive, well paid positions.
Trained and qualified jobseekers can participate in an industry recruitment event to be held Oct. 4. This event will be sponsored by the ADOL, WKRG-TV, and Bishop State Community College.
“These positions are different from a lot of jobs in Alabama,” Washington said. “You can’t just walk in off the street and get hired. These positions require training and skill, so it’s very important to get into a qualified training program. That’s our theme for this initiative: Get the training. Get the job!”
These programs are offered by Alabama Industrial Development Training Institute, Bishop State, and others. Staff at the Mobile Career Center (251-461-4146) can give personalized, one-on-one assistance to ensure that jobseekers are enrolled in the appropriate program, Washington said.
Mobile Works (251-461-4485) provides tuition assistance in the form of grants for short-term training programs by partnering with area colleges and schools to get job seekers the skills to position them to compete for jobs.
For more information about training and jobs and the recruiting fair, visit www.labor.alabama.gov/maritime and http://maritime.aidt.edu/.