STAR Center will offer the Great Lakes Open Water Pilotage Prep Program starting January 27, 2020. The program is designed to provide qualified U.S. Coast Guard licensed unlimited tonnage deck officers with the necessary training and experience to obtain USCG Great Lakes Open Water First Class Pilotage (FCP) Endorsements for the five Great Lakes Pilotage Regions.

Officers who successfully complete this program will be eligible for jobs available with AMO-contracted companies operating vessels on the Great Lakes, and will have the requisite knowledge and USCG endorsements to be employed as first class pilots in the five Great Lakes Pilotage Regions.

Officers enrolled in the program will gain knowledge of and proficiency in the pilotage endorsement requirements for the 'Local Knowledge' and 'Chart Sketch' portions of the USCG pilotage exams. Upon attaining knowledge and proficiency in the required areas, officers will be prepared to sit for the USCG pilotage exams for each of the five Great Lakes regions.

Program Entry standards

Program participants must have completed or be in the process of completing their required round trips and submitted a USCG application or received approval to sit for Great Lakes pilotage exams.

Those who are eligible who do not have a USCG approval letter to sit for the pilotage exams should submit their application to the USCG for testing ASAP.

Those who meet the program entry standards should submit a STAR Center application requesting enrollment in the Great Lakes Open Water Pilotage Prep Program along with the required USCG approval to test letter ASAP.

Those who require additional information on the program should contact:

Jerry Pannell
STAR Center Director, Member Training

Office: (800) 445-4522 Ext. 7507