MPT program

[Hooligansailor]

Anyone have any positive or negative remarks in regards to the type training, cost, and institution MPT offers? Currently on active duty preparing to get as much training and licensing my GI Bill will afford me before I leave the military and work in the real world.

[critter]

I took STCW, advanced firefighting, medical care provider, and lifeboatman there. For the most part a good experience. Classes are not the cheapest, I think Fletcher was, but the VA will pay for it. I had to pay up front and was reimbursed. The office dropped the ball a few times so make sure you stay on them. They will try to sell you other classes so do your research and take only what you need now for the credential you seek. Use the rest of the money when you upgrade.

[tugsailor]

MPT is one of the best schools. If you consider the total cost of attending: tuition, travel, meals, and lodging, MPT ends up being cheaper than may of the schools that appear to be cheaper.

[steelbeach]

Over several years I've taken my certificates with them (s.t.c.w-med p.i.c. radar renewal etc. and was satisfied each time although I confess the company I worked for made the payments
The instructors know their subjects well and are mostly working class like most of us
A class hotel off 17th st. gave a steep discount to MPT customers - it's near the Outback Steakhouse
If you have to layover the weekend the city has lots to do

[Bayrunner]

The Hyatt is the one next to the outback if I recall. I stayed there when I was taking adv FF. the instructor was knowledgable and the fire training at the Broward fire academy was first rate as well. My only complaint was that the florida weather didnt cooperate until the last day I was there. I came to Ft L in december to take the class for a reason, the warmth of the sun!

[Capt. Lee]

I enjoyed and recommend most courses there, except for Proficiency in Survival Craft. On the last day you have to go to Tampa to launch a piece of crap boat on a ship that belongs in a museum. MPT should spend some money and get a more modern lifeboat and davit.

-Medical PIC (Great)
-Fast Rescue Craft (Great)
-ISM DPA Auditor (Great)
-Proficiency in Survival Craft (not so great)

One other thing I do not like about MPT is the first day. The way they handle enrollment is ridiculous. I know they have received negative feedback from students and they just refuse to change it. You have to stand in line for about an hour first thing in the morning just to get up front and realize people have been coming in the front door skipping line and no one does anything about it. They can do better, but just refuse to do anything different.

[tugsailor]

I'll second all of that.

Especially, the ridiculous long and disorganized line up on the first morning. That could easily be avoided with online signup and payment, or by having half the people head off to class in the morning and then the other half sign in at lunchtime. Or by having the office staff just go from classroom to classroom when they are ready to call students to the office one class at a time.

Also, I did not take the PSC or lifeboat course (which is part of BST), but on the days that they did the lifeboat drills in Tampa, the students get off the bus back at the hotel at about 9PM and they are madder then hell and vigorously cursing MPT. Do NOT take the PSC (lifeboat), and that basically means do not take BST, at MPT, unless you are really desperate.

Of the schools that offer a full spectrum of courses, MPT is the best school that I have been to. The quality is good. Most of the classes are well equipped and the instructors are good. The course materials are good. They schedule most courses once per month --- so there is never a long wait for a course. They are reliable and never cancel courses for inadequate enrollment (a persistent problem at most other schools). The cost of classes varies from average to a little on the high side, but at MPT you do get what you pay for (except for PSC / BST).

MPT's offers many housing options from rooms in people's homes, to "crew houses" to hotels. The preferred hotel is the Hyatt Place; a nice hotel with two room suites. Its about $70 night with the large MPT discount, and includes free airport shuttle, free shuttle to MPT (half a mile away), and good free breakfast. The Hyatt is not a vacation resort, but its a nice hotel at an incredibly good price. The Comfort Suites nearby is quite shabby in comparison and the same $70 per night. The Embassy Suites across a four lane street from the Hyatt is even nicer, but about $120 per night. There are plenty of good, reasonably priced restaurants and pubs within walking distance. Its also a safe area to walk at night. You don't need a rental car. There are a lot of nonstop flights into Fort Lauderdale at reasonable prices (at about 60% of the cost of flying to New Orleans), especially on JetBlue, Spirit Air (watch out for baggage fees), and AirTran (owned by of Southwest).

The courses at Houston in New Orleans are more expensive than MPT. The courses at Delgado, Fletcher, and especially at Young Memorial are much cheaper than MPT. However, if you figure out the total cost of taking a course: tuition, airfare, car rental, hotels, meals, and so on, MPT turns out to be actually cheaper.

I would say that a majority of the students at MPT come from yachts. There are plenty of guys from the oil patch, including the drilling contractors. Also guys from tugs, fishing, and elsewhere.

Fort Lauderdale is a pleasant place to spend a few days, especially in the winter. Its also a good place to bring your wife or girlfriend along.

If there is a better school than MPT, in a better and less expensive place than Fort Lauderdale, please tell me about it.

[Hooligansailor]

Thank you all for the informative threads, I appreciate it. Sounds like a good school for the money, with exception of The BST. I will most likely take the AB course there and whatever other endorsements I can get. Since I'm on active duty, I'll be using my GI Bill, seeing how there is no way I could fork out the cash for what the training cost. No wonder there is a shortage of young U.S. mariners, training is super expensive. It's unfortunate because I know a lot of people who want to get into the industry, they just can't afford the initial training. Thanks again, keep the threads going.

[tugsailor]

You might want to check to see if you can attend the STCW courses at the MSC schools, or at the Army Transportation school, for free while you are still in the USCG. I don't know about that.

You should have no problem at all teaching yourself the AB material while you are still in the USCG. You probably know most of it anyway. Seasources.net has free practice tests. You can just take the test for AB at the USCG REC.

Most towns big enough to have a USCG base probably have 100 ton Master courses from time to time. Some of the prep schools travel, and sometimes there are locally taught night classes.

Good luck.

You have to take the five day class for BST which includes PSC (with lifeboat).

[coolb43]

Has anyone stayed at their crew houses, how are they?

[critter]

It is well worth the extra money to stay in a hotel. I booked four nights in a crew house with the Neptune Group and ended up staying only one. The "crew" was up parting all night. It might have been fun if I didnt have class the next day. There kinda geared toward the yacht industry and those looking for work. If you want to get on a yacht I guess it could be one way to "network".

[skycowboy]

The first crew house I stayed in, every time the train went by, which is every 3 hours 24 hours a day, my curtains would move. I had them move me and told them I wanted to be as far away from the train as possible but that was still only about 2 blocks from the tracks. I also noticed that the crew houses had no heat in them, so when it gets cold I guess you just turn on the oven..

The crew houses are also filled with young kids coming home at 3 am loud and drunk so if your taking a course that requires you to be alert in class they make it difficult to get a good nights sleep.

Check in is just ridicules as Capt Lee says. Also find out what materials you need for your course and if they are provided. Some courses you show up and find out you have to buy $200.00 of books from them. Which a lot of people hadn't planned on.

[skycowboy]

If you are just taking classes like BST, FIrefighting, AB or 100/200 Master, I think Sea School in Bayou Labatre is the least expensive. They will pick you up and drop you off at the airport, provide 3 meals a day plus lodging. free of charge. Plus there is not a lot of outside activity to distract you while you are there.

[Tugs]

man it sure sounds like MPT has changed a lot since I went there in the Mid 90's. Back then, for engineers anyway, they gave you a disc for the computer and told you to sit at a computer. There was little to no help for engineers. Back then I stay at there "on site rooms" these rooms consisted of a room with a single bunk and a small deck with a old computer on it. I was supposed to stay there for a week but left after one day with their home study CD.

If it was still the way it was I would say stay away but it really sounds like they are first class now.

Fort Lauderdale is a great place to visit. If you can not have a good time there you are not trying!