They graduate to six figure salaries, and grueling work

Economy They graduate to six figure salaries, and grueling work May 9, 20266:00 AM ET By  Steve Kastenbaum Students on the aft deck of the Empire State VII preparing for this year's summer cruise. They'll sail to Charleston, S.C., Málaga, Spain and Belfast, Northern Ireland before returning to New York. SUNY Maritime College hide caption toggle caption SUNY Maritime College The gangway up to the Empire State VII slopes from the dock at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx, where the East River meets the Long Island Sound. The ship is massive — 530 feet, nine decks - and it's being prepped for its annual summer teaching cruise. Tom Murphy, SUNY Maritime College's Chief of Staff and a 1993 alumnus, has spent a lot of time on vessels at sea. But this one is different. "This is the first ship purposely built for training cadets," he said. "This isn't just a working ship, this is a school on water." Sponsor Message SUNY Maritime is one of six state-run maritime academies in the country. Most are run like quasi-military academies. Students wear uniforms, follow regimented schedules, and learn through a curriculum that blends traditional engineering and seamanship coursework with the Coast Guard-required licensing classes students need to work aboard a ship. "Each student is required to do three summer sea terms to accumulate their 360 days of sea time," Murphy explained, "required to sit for the license." A U.S. Coast Guard license can open the door to lucrative careers in the maritime industry, and right now, the country doesn't have nearly enough people who hold one. Most students pursue one of two tracks. One leads to positions running a ship's systems and the engine room. The other is focused on seamanship and maritime shipping. Opportunities for work are wide and varied; from cargo ships to oil tankers, from the private sector to government work supplying ships in the U.S. Navy. Without enough mariners, navy ships could run dry in days Industry groups say there are roughl...