Konnecting Keelhaulers

Darlene Conolly, Mechanical Engineer (licensed) class of 2018, sits down with Career Services on her 2nd to last day at Amber Kinects to discuss what brought her to Cal Maritime, her role at Amber Kinetics, and what she will be doing in her new position with Pillar Point Harbor Patrol. When Darlene decided she wanted to return to school after working as an editor, writer, and surfer, she found out that previous struggles with math were due more to how it had been taught than any deficiency on her part. This led her to the Cal Maritime ME program where she participated on the Collegiate Wind Team, helped Dr. Parker and Dr. Tsai with an autonomous vessel for a CSU COAST grant research project, and graduated in 3 years. She dives into her work on energy storage with Amber Kinects build her skills with bearing systems as well as perseverance to find answers through her own research. She is excited to embark on her new endeavor with Pillar Point Harbor and combine her engineering skills with her love for the water.

BAE Systems Talent Acquisition Specialists Madeline Wren and Casey Tew sit down with Career Services to discuss the recruiting processes at BAE for internships and new grad positions. They walk through what BAE is looking for on resumes and in interviews, making a point on connecting transferable skills to a position’s duties and skills. Some specifics on building resumes for BAE include tailoring a resume for the particular position you are applying for and utilizing relevant classes in lieu of experience in particular areas, especially for interns. Lastly, they stress staying attune to when BAE hosts events and recruits at Cal Maritime to make sure you learn all you can about the company and the various opportunities.

Gary Loy, Field Recruiter, and Michael Latham, Recruitment Coordinator for the Marine Employment Division, talk with Career Services about the recruitment and application process for MSC, specifically entry-level licensed and non-licensed roles. Before even beginning the actual application, Gary and Michael stress to make sure your profile is up to date and that you’ve done research on any unfamiliar applications and programs contained in the evaluation criteria questions. With your resume and the evaluation questions, be sure to highlight the impact and special things you have done in your past employment and volunteer work, even if they don’t perfectly align with what is being asked, as well as special endorsements and leadership roles you’ve had. After applying, be sure to check your profile to see if any updates on the application are needed until it is labeled transferred or under review. Lastly, both also emphasize skills that will help people succeed on the job, including adaptability, willingness to learn, and staying persistent and consistent on the job.

Nicole Light Densberger, a Transportation and Engineering Management master’s grad of 2021, sits down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss both her career path and what led her to pursue her master’s at Cal Maritime. Nicole discusses how she found out about the Cal Maritime master’s degree and what pushed her to pursue it. A through-line throughout the interview, whether discussing school or work, was embracing challenges and being proactive in chasing them, even when they seem daunting. Nicole also stresses conferring with bosses or mentors about goals in your career and being assertive in asking for them, the worst they can say is no.

Mark Wheaton (c/o ’23) and Seamus Jameson (c/o ’22) sit down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss their internships from this past summer conducting research with the San Francisco Estuary Institute. As a part of the Institute's newly formed intern program, the duo shares how they were integrated into the team and how they developed their research proposal. Both Mark and Seamus discuss the various classes that prepared them for their internship, highlighting that they drew on a vast array of disciplines and even impressed the full-time researchers with the knowledge they brought in. A big takeaway for both was how the workflow varied depending on where they were at in their research, sometimes putting in 16 hour days to make sure they were able to complete a full cycle of their experiment.

Nathaniel Young (c/o ’22), Karla Gomez (c/o ’22), and Tyler Clarke (c/o ’22) sit down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss their internships from this past summer. Each cadet worked at fast-paced companies in the Bay Area: Nathaniel at Collins Aerospace, Karla with GSC Logistics, and Tyler with Norton Lilly International. They share insights on presenting information to higher-ups in the company or direct full-time employees from other companies, drawing on their previous knowledge and training to speak confidently. They also touch on some ways that Cal Maritime had prepared them for their internship, including specific courses and networking opportunities that helped them obtain their internships. The cadets close with some advice for those looking for internships, staying persistent, and how to connect with other interns on-site to create a more enriching experience.

Kenny Shin, ME (c/o ’22), Colin Powers, ME (c/o ’22), and Yaoyao Wolansky, FET (c/o ’22) sit down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss their internships from this past summer. They each share insights on what a typical day and week was like for them, including how to quickly take on more responsibility and be assertive when needed with full-time employees. They also touch on some ways that Cal Maritime had prepared them for their internship, how they received mentorship, and how they adapted to learn skills beyond the scope of the classroom. The cadets close with some advice for those looking for internships, how to stay persistent, and how to integrate themselves into their team when on-site.

Kyle Yamamoto (c/o ’22), Alicia Porter (c/o ’23), and Andrew Cavinta (c/o ’22) sit down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss their internships from this past summer. They each share insight on what a typical day and week was like for them, including tasks and projects they worked on. They also touch on some ways that Cal Maritime had prepared them for their internship, as well as some new things they had to learn while on the job. The cadets close with some advice for those looking for internships and how to succeed when on site.

Elijah Jackowitz, a GSMA grad of 2016, sits down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss his career path that landed him in the U.S. Navy. Before joining the Navy, Elijah worked for a year as a shipping agent with Norton Lilly out of the Ports of LA and Long Beach. He discusses the nature of both that job and what he does now as a Surface Warfare Officer, as well as how he handled being a fall grad and not having a job lined up upon graduation.

Patrick Dackins, MET class of 2017, sits down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss his time at Cal Maritime after transferring to the school, his year sailing post-graduation, and his transition to shoreside engineering in the Sacramento area. With hiring one of his roles now, he discusses what his process was to get hired at the UC Davis Medical Center, how his Coast Guard license helped him, and gives some words of advice on things he learned from both his hiring manager as well as in his hiring role now about what candidates should include on their resumes.

Jamie Mattos, GSMA class of 2016, discusses with Ryan what it has been like looking for a new job and career amidst the pandemic. She touches on how she got interested in working on ships, specifically in the cruise industry, despite knowing little about them when she first came to Cal Maritime. Jamie encourages cadets to network as much as possible and chase your dreams. “Block out the haters” as she said because there will be some. We also talk about how a cadet from a maritime academy really sticks out in the professional world as one who prepared to act and communicate in a professional manner, which Jamie attributed, in her experience to the Corps of Cadets.

Kellen Parrish, IBL class of 2013, takes Ryan Rodriguez through his winding career path from working in the Peace Corps in Guatemala out of college to returning stateside pursuing his master’s degree in International Agricultural Development and ending up with an NGO based out of Washington, D.C. He was highly interested in oceanography before it became a major at Cal Maritime and has found ways to incorporate his love for the field with the various jobs he has taken working both domestically and internationally. Kellen stresses taking advantage of the many experiences that are offered to students at Cal Maritime, as it will serve you well in your career.

Brian Triggs, MET class of 2013, sits down with Ryan to discuss his unique path for a license track graduate, choosing shoreside work despite having several offers to sail post-graduation. They touch on some of the different roles he’s had at ABS and NASSCO, including how he’s enjoyed the more technical aspects in his role as a surveyor, as well as how he was able to utilize a multitude of experiences at Cal Maritime to prepare him for his career. Brian closes with advice to students on taking advantage of all the opportunities Cal Maritime puts at a cadet’s fingertips, as they get much more challenging to take advantage of after graduation.

Benjamin Potter, GSMA class of 2017, sits down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss his path into marine underwriting and how Cal Maritime and his internships prepared him for this career. He highlights some of the different types of insurance that companies offer, as well as the marine insurance class offered at Cal Maritime as a great way to better understand the industry.

Annie Chan, FET class of '18 chats with Ryan Rodriguez about getting started at Siemens, how important networking has been for her career since she graduated from college, and some of the opportunities she’s enjoyed at her Co-Ops and job. Annie also discusses how she came to be intrigued by facilities engineering and automation while stressing the importance of allowing yourself to change as you grow and learn more about yourself. She is quick to highlight how useful the internet can be when looking to augment her Cal Maritime education as well as muses about heading back to school for her Master’s.

Brent Morency, IBL class of'17, sits down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss his role as an Area Manager at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego. They look back at Brent’s time as both an intern at NASSCO as well as in the Professional Development Program there, learning about the different rotations he was a part of. Brent discusses how, as a transfer, he was on an accelerated timeline to find an internship and map out what he wanted to do with his business degree. As in previous interviews with alums, Brent highlights the need for a willingness to learn while in an internship that can set you up for future employment.

Michael Torreano, a Marine Transportation major from the class of '19, sits down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss his commercial cruise and his time with Kirby since he’s graduated. They go all the way back to high school and how he got interested in becoming a mariner. Michael highlights how he was able to get some extra sea time after his freshman cruise that helped prepare him for commercial cruise his sophomore year. Michael also passes on advice for seniors looking for jobs post-graduation in the maritime industry, as well as how he has adjusted to his work role and schedule with Kirby.

Jacob Lassila, FET class of 2018, sits down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss his career with Genentech. They discuss his path from summer intern with Genentech while attending Cal Maritime to his current role Senior Utility Plant Operator with the company, with Jacob highlighting the need to be willing and active in adapting to changing roles and expectations even while working at the same company. Jacob also reflects on his time at Cal Maritime and gives some advice to current cadets about how to handle the many responsibilities they on campus.

Justin Meyer, Mechanical Engineer Class of 2002, sits down with Ryan Rodriguez to discuss his unique career path. Justin is now the Deputy Director of Acquisition Programs for the United States Coast Guard, a job he began in May 2020 after 18 years of serving in the United States Navy. Justin highlights how his Cal Maritime education prepared him for both the Navy and the Coast Guard, the various assignments he worked on as a Defense Fellow serving under Maine’s Senator Susan Collins, and offers advice to cadets as they look to find internships, apply to jobs, and prepare for interviews.