A shortage of professional mariners to work onboard commercial vessels exists in the United States and in the world commercial fleets. State maritime academies graduate third mates and third assistant engineers ready to take up these positions, yet even after their training, not all choose to do so. The purpose of this study was to understand how experiential learning at sea informs career decisions.This study examined recently graduated cadets from the five state maritime academies in the United States to gain an understanding of how being onboard a commercial vessel and experiencing the job first-hand informed their career decision making. By examining the recent graduate's experience onboard the vessel and understanding the impact it might have on career choice, there can be a better understanding in the maritime industry of influences that affect vessel staffing in the officer ranks, particularly in times of critical shortages.The allure of financial rewards and the aspiration to embark on maritime careers influenced participants' career choices, motivating them to seek employment at sea. As they pursued this path in commercial shipping, many voiced their intention to curtail this experience. Using Kolb's experiential learning theory through its four-stage learning cycle, participants reflected and analyzed how they came to understand through their at-sea experiences that a maritime career is not solely centered on making a lot of money. They indicated that social and personal factors regarding the challenges of life at sea played a role in their career decisions, as mariners sought to strike a balance in their lives. Participants emphasized that maintaining a work-life balance was an important factor in their decision to transition to shore-based positions; some immediately, others in the foreseeable future. Prioritizing personal happiness and the pursuit of contentment held significance for participants. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
