Alumni Career Feature
Kevin Greene
We feature alumni with interesting careers from a variety of career areas. To find out more about the alumnus profession contact them via the e-mail provided. Or if you are interested in being featured, e-mail us at alumni@pct.edu.
Kevin Greene
- A.A.S., Diesel, 1998
- TRAC Ecological Marine Products
- uturn77@aol.com
How did you choose your present career? Please explain how you decided to major in your area of study during college.
All of my life there have been two strong elements that have been important to me – music and the water. Once I saw that just being a good musician is not going to get you far, I decided to follow my other passion, the ocean. I got a job at a marina to determine what I enjoyed most about the water and determine a way to earn money. I found that I really enjoyed working on boats, mainly on the diesel engines. Penn College was a logical choice for me; one look at the facility and I was hooked.
What advice do you have to offer to a student who is struggling with identification of a major/career field in college?
A lot of my friends had a very hard time figuring out what to do with their lives. My advice to anyone would be to find something you really enjoy doing, and then try to find a way to work that into your career plans. If there is not job available for your interests, maybe there is a career out there that allows you to enjoy your interest with a livable compromise.
Did you use Career Counseling Services and/or Career/Placement Services while at Penn College (or Williamsport Area Community College)? If yes, how did they help you?
Penn College, in my opinion, has awesome student services, Career Counseling being one of them. I used Penn College's career services, but I found that being located in Pennsylvania and being in the Diesel program (geared around land vehicles), getting a marine-related job was difficult.
How were you hired at your present position?
Right after graduation I flew down to the British Virgin Islands on a job lead to captain a 60' sailboat named Ocean Voyager back up to the New England area. I considered this a vacation at the time, but later found it to be a "foot in the door" into an awesome career. After a year on Ocean Voyager and some little jobs in between, I landed a job as chief engineer on a 124' motor yacht. After about 1-1/2 years on that yacht, I then took a job as chief engineer on a 180' motor yacht called the Sea Hawk. I don't think I could have gotten this far in this industry without the skills and degree I earned at Penn College.
What positions did you hold before this one?
Before working full-time on yachts, and while I was working on my degree, I worked as a diesel mechanic at various truck shops and marinas on Long Island, NY, where I live.
What would you tell a Penn College graduating student about your career field?
Being engineer on a yacht is one of the coolest jobs around. I get paid very well for the job I am doing and I get to travel all over the world. It's like working in a shop that has the same equipment you are used to working on, except that it moves all over the world. On the down side, traveling takes a toll on your personal life. Sometimes I really miss my friends and family from back home. But then again, you work hard, you play hard, and if the boat has some down time, I am on a plane for New York to see everyone. This job isn't for everyone, but for me it works.
What was most significant thing you learned on the job during your first year?
I guess for everyone, the first year on a job, the learning curve is vertical. I don't think I can come up with just ONE thing that I learned as being most significant. I do remember one time being halfway to Newport, RI (about 1850 nautical miles offshore) that I finally learned that the ocean is in charge. Before that day, I shared the same "I am invincible" belief, which most people my age believe. Luckily, it only took one encounter to set me straight.
What was most difficult about your transition to the world of work?
As soon as I was old enough, my parents encouraged, not forced, me to get a job doing anything. In turn, I learned at a young age what it meant to work, and it gave me the feeling that I was doing something productive. So, to me, I didn't have any real trouble finally entering into the REAL workforce.
What was the greatest strength of your Penn College/Williamsport Area community College education? (What did you learn at Penn College that helped you a great deal in your career?)
There are so many things that Penn College has taught me –everything from a good education to finding out there is life beyond New York. But I value most the education. I regret not taking more advantage of the English classes when I was in school. I can really see a difference in my work when it comes to preparing reports or charts, or even trying to troubleshoot complex engineering problems. The Diesel professors over at the Earth Science Center really know their stuff! I use what they taught me every day. I was very surprised to see how much "attention to detail" I retained in my work habits today that were instilled in me when at Penn College.
What should students in your field do to prepare themselves for their career?
I think anyone looking to go into any technical field should remember one thing: anyone can do our jobs if taught how. An educated person who takes pride in his/her work, though, is going to do that job much better. Knowing the "right way" to do something can really make the difference at the end of the day. Your degree gets you in the door, but taking pride in your work and practicing the skills you learned will set you apart from the rest.
If you were a Penn College co-op student, please describe the benefits of that experience?
I did not participate in the Penn College co-op program, but I did have a job within my field while at school. This was a good way to see the difference between the real diesel world and the one taught to me. In the real world, it's all about time and money; the quicker you get a task done, the more you can get accomplished in a day's work. On the other hand, at school, I was taught to get it done right the first time. After some practice, I learned how to mix time and quality to form what I consider a good work ethic. I owe this to working while going to school.
What do you find the most enjoyable about your career field and your present position?
To me, the best part of my job is being out on the open ocean. I have yet to find anywhere else that gives me the same satisfaction of being completely cut off from normal day-to-day life while still getting paid. Something about sleeping onboard while underway, being totally confident in your boat and its equipment gives me the most satisfaction from my job.
How do you see your field changing in the next three-five years? Will this change require you to obtain additional training?
In the diesel engine world today, the younger guys definitely have the advantage. With all the changes in emissions requirements, and power demands in engine manufacturing, electronics are basically becoming the standard on any new engine. Graduates today are trained to work on these new engines. I believe that within the next three to five years, we will see a complete change-over to electronically-controlled engines with the older mechanically-controlled engines being phased out of the United States all together. As far as additional education, I believe only a fool thinks he knows everything. Any time I get the chance to learn something new or take a class, I jump on it.
What are your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in three years?
For everyone who works on the water there comes a time when you either want to start a family or just can't bear to be away from your loved ones any longer. For some, it takes 20 years, and others six months. I don't know how long I will work on boats, but I can tell you that, no matter what I do, the water will always be involved.
If you could redo your college experience, how would you prepare differently to enter the workplace?
Well, this is like the saying, "If I only knew then what I know now!" But like I mentioned earlier, if I had to do college again, I would pay more attention to my core classes and try to take some business classes. But, in retrospect, I am satisfied with my current level of education..
From your perspective, what are three to five needed skills that your employer was seeking in a new employee?
Number one on any employer's list is definitely EXPERIENCE! My employer was looking for someone educated in his/her field, a team player, and someone with no attachments at home (wife, house, etc.).
Have you received any special recognition or awards through your employment or professional organizations to which you belong?
I don't really look for any recognition from my employer; however, I do consider a pay increase to be a very special recognition.
