Water Transportation Workers

I. JOB SUMMARY

Main Topic: Physical Geography
Secondary Topic: Places and Regions

Overview:  Water transportation workers can work in a wide array of positions, from captains, pilots, sailors, to engineers. No matter what their role, their main duties are transporting goods or people over bodies of water aboard a vessel (ship). Some may work on large ships that transport goods across the oceans, others may work on large cruise ships that bring passengers from one location to another, while others may work on smaller vessels that operate domestically within the United States traveling along coasts, or major rivers such as the Mississippi. The ability to read and interpret maps is an imperative skill that workers navigating the ships should possess. They should also be familiar with water resources, whether that be freshwater or oceanography, to understand and navigate different types of waterways and any regulations that may be in place. A basic understanding of climate and weather patterns and how they might impact travel routes would also be beneficial in their work.

Geographers at work: Urban geographers, human geographers, transportation geographers, oceanographers

Recommended College Courses:  Maps and map making, Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, Meteorology, Oceanography, Water Resources Management

Skills: Map interpretation and cartography, urban geography, transportation systems, regional geography

Occupation Group: Transportation and Material Moving

Learn more about Water Transportation Workers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/water-transportation-occupations.htm#tab-2