To be eligible for the TWIC, you must be a U. S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, a naturalized citizen, a nonimmigrant alien, an asylee, or a refugee in lawful status. You must also be at least 18 years old. The TSA will conduct a criminal background check and threat assessment before issuing you the credential. You will be disqualified for providing any false information or if you have a background of certain disqualifying criminal offenses. The fee for a TWIC card as of August 2019 is $125. 25 USD. You are eligible for a reduced fee of 105. 25 if you have a hazardous materials endorsement on your driver’s license or a Free and Secure Trade card.
You can train with weights, do cardio exercises, and perform agility drills to get stronger and improve your agility and balance.
It’s OK if you have a past history of drug use, as long as you are currently clean. Drug offenses are not a disqualifying criminal offense for obtaining a TWIC card either. If you are currently a drug user, you need to quit drugs before you begin the process of becoming a longshoreman. Consult a drug and alcohol hotline or your doctor to make a plan for quitting. You may want to consider a rehab program if your habit is out of control and you don’t think you will be able to quit on your own.
Keep in mind that joining a longshoremen’s union is not easy to do. These unions do not have open enrollment and you often need to know another member to get in or wait years to be accepted.
The first step to becoming a union-affiliated longshoreman is to start working with them as a casual dock worker. Through working as a casual, you will start to build up hours of experience that will eventually let you apply to become a union member. The availability of casual work greatly depends on the union in your area. Some unions may not have any work at all for non-union members, so don’t expect to just call up your local union and start working right away.
Keep in mind that you might go home without getting called because more senior casual workers are given priority. Full union members are always given the first priority over shifts, then casual workers are given priority in order of seniority.
Your local union will be able to inform you what the required numbers of hours are to achieve identified casual status. Some casual workers spend 10 years or more working up to identified casual status, and even longer to become full union members. As you work your way towards identified casual status, try to network with union members and make some connections. This can improve your odds of getting accepted when you apply for union membership in the future.
Once accepted into the union, your schedule will become more reliable and flexible, as you are now given preference over casual workers. Union members are full-fledged longshoremen and receive benefits from the union for life.
You can also check online to see if your local port has a job board where they post openings or any other information about jobs available at the docks.
For example, you could study maritime science or get a certificate in seamanship or vessel operations. A degree or certificate in these types of programs can make you a candidate for a variety of maritime jobs, including with government organizations such as the coast guard.
If you have completed an education in a maritime-related field, then network with any connections you have from the program to hunt down job opportunities. For example, professors who taught you might be able to provide you with leads on where to look for jobs or even put you in contact with someone who is hiring. Examples of other maritime jobs include working on a port management team, working for a shipping company, being a marine surveyor, or even working as a marine technician. There are all kinds of maritime jobs both onshore and on vessels.
