{"id":51,"date":"2026-09-18T20:01:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T20:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/fall-2026-volume-7-issue-3\/from-muddy-boots-to-maritime-captain\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T00:09:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T00:09:44","slug":"from-muddy-boots-to-maritime-captain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sanjac.mycareerfocus.org\/fall-2026-volume-7-issue-3\/from-muddy-boots-to-maritime-captain\/","title":{"rendered":"From muddy boots to maritime captain"},"content":{"rendered":"

With its pristine drywall and gleaming floors, San Jacinto College\u2019s new Maritime Campus seemed an odd place for a student to clomp around in muddy boots.<\/span><\/p>\n

Far from careless, though, Warren Buhrman was committed to his maritime studies \u2014 coming straight from digging ditches to plotting charts and throwing lines.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy company allowed me to take a break for classes, then come back to work afterward,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clean shoes eventually replaced work boots, but nothing could replace Buhrman\u2019s passion for his new career goal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fishing for the right career<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Portrait

Warren Buhrman<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Buhrman grew up fishing around Galveston Bay, watching tugboats glide past as his line dangled in the water. Though becoming a professional fisherman crossed his mind, Buhrman didn\u2019t graduate high school with a clear direction. For five years, he took general education classes on and off, focusing more on working in demolition construction and plumbing.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2015, an ad about San Jac\u2019s new maritime program piqued his interest. Buhrman researched the industry, then met with Amy Arrowood, maritime credit program director. After taking one introductory maritime class, he was all in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat little ad in the Houston Chronicle changed my life,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he charted his path, he stayed the course.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt took me a while, but I did it,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning the ropes<\/span><\/h2>\n

Buhrman started the maritime program at its temporary site off State Highway 225. Students at that time, he remembers, were \u201cpacked like sardines\u201d in makeshift classrooms. When the new campus opened in fall 2016, they switched to spacious classrooms overlooking the Ship Channel and high-tech simulators.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe new place was awesome,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"San

Maritime Campus<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Not only did Buhrman appreciate the personable professors and student camaraderie, but he also found the classes intriguing. He learned chart plotting, survival, safety, and even firefighting while earning his Coast Guard certifications.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot everyone can say they put on a fire suit and ran into a burning building during college,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

For both summer internships, he served as a deckhand with Buffalo Marine, a company that fuels ships coming in and out of the Ship Channel.<\/span><\/p>\n

While interning on a \u201cfloating gas station,\u201d he chipped rust, painted, cleaned, and tied off barges — the grunt work every mariner starts with. Right before Buhrman graduated, he landed a full-time job at Buffalo Marine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Casting off<\/h2>\n

After a stint as deckhand, Buhrman got promoted to tankerman. From there, he transitioned to pilot, then relief captain. This year, he became the lead captain of the motor vessel San Brendan.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this role, he ensures the safety of his five-person crew and organizes the day\u2019s tasks. He has also sharpened his management skills \u2014 learning to be fair with everyone and respecting others\u2019 backgrounds and beliefs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople will work hard for you if you can understand where they\u2019re coming from first,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Living aboard the vessel two weeks on, one week off, Buhrman and his crew travel the Intracoastal Waterway from Lake Charles to Freeport.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou get to see things other people don\u2019t see \u2014 the way the world turns in the oil and gas industry,\u201d he said. \u201cIt can be challenging and dangerous, but sometimes it can be absolutely beautiful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Navigating the future<\/span><\/h2>\n

Working in a field that\u2019s \u201c365, 24\/7,\u201d Buhrman eventually sees himself as a portside administrator, though \u201cnot anytime soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the end goal \u2014 portside work,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of captains become port captains because you go home every day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaritime is so important in this economy, the way the world is turning. If the maritime industry stopped, the world would stop.\u201d — Warren Buhrman, maritime alumnus<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Advice he\u2019d give to prospective mariners? Talk to the Maritime Campus staff.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo your research first,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are so many routes you can take in the maritime industry. Ask about the program, what it offers, and how it correlates to different careers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What is certain is the industry offers job security.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaritime is so important in this economy, the way the world is turning,\u201d Buhrman said. \u201cIf the maritime industry stopped, the world would stop.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Take the Plunge<\/span><\/h2>\n

Pursue the maritime transportation associate degree:<\/span><\/p>\n