JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Students in Saturday morning service provider seaman class in Jacksonville weren’t taking notes on typical classroom matters: They had been studying find out how to abandon ship — and continue to exist.
The anti-crime group MAD DADS is teaming up with Florida Youth Maritime Training to assist students prepare for a profession as a service provider seaman.
Donald Foy with MAD DADS mentioned constructing regular, stable careers like this helps stop crime.
“Individuals resort to whatever they have to do to take care of their families,” Foy mentioned. “We’re trying to offer them a career, so they won’t have to resort to selling drugs. They won’t have to resort to breaking into cars.”
The top quality Saturday concerned studying to navigate a gumby go well with.
“If I’m going to live, I want to know everything! I’m going to figure it out; I’m going to make sure I listen to him,” pupil Destiny Johnson mentioned. “Because he does know a lot about this industry.”
Douglas Thompson went by means of the coaching in 2017.
“Coming to this class every day, five days a week. It’s worth it, you know what I mean. To make a life change,” Thompson mentioned.
Since then, he’s constructed a satisfying profession as a deckhand.
“The ship maintenance, I also drive the ship. Pull it into port. I love going to different countries,” Thompson mentioned. “Oh man, I see the world for free. I get to explore different countries and still make good money.”
Johnson mentioned her long-term purpose is to turn into a enterprise proprietor. She mentioned it is a nice first step.
“I want to do a lot of things! I want my name to be out there. I want to have a legacy,” she mentioned. “So, me doing this right now is building my funds up and saving. It’s going to be good for me.”
The program lasts for 4 months. And as soon as the students full it, they’ll be licensed as entry-level Marine Service Technicians.
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