Page 33: of Marine News Magazine (October 2013)

Houston-based Kirby Corporation runs an in-house training center that today instructs 3,000 students yearly in 26 different courses ? many of which are U.S. Coast Guard approved. Lo- cated in Channelview, the 23-year old, state-of-the-art center is conveniently located in the northeastern curve of the Houston Ship Channel. Last month, MarineNews spoke with Jim Guidry, Kirby?s Senior Vice President of Ves- sel Operations and a 20-year company veteran, about the center. In 1984, Kirby owned just 20 boats and 50 barges, with a turnover of about $35m. Today, after nearly 30 years and about 50 acquisitions, it has a market cap well in excess of $4B, and its  eet hovers around 350 boats and 950 barges, commanding approximately 35% of the U.S. mar- ket. That kind of success and growth can be attributed to many things, but a big part of the equation has to be Kirby?s investment in its employees. Training is therefore at the heart of Kirby?s investment in its people. Back at Kirby?s Training Center, Guidry ex- plains further, ?Our in-house training is targeted to all of our employees, from deckhand to master.? He adds, ?They have jobs with us when they come to the center. For new deckhands, their  rst twelve days on the job are spent at the center training before they even see a boat.? With 4,500 employees, Kirby is the nation?s largest domestic tank-barge operator, transporting bulk liquid prod- ucts on the Mississippi River, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, on three U.S. coasts, as well as in Alaska and Hawaii. Many of Kirby?s courses are associ- ated with the issuance or renewal of Coast Guard documents, and train- ing continues year round. ?We offer courses 300 times a year and have people in training every day, depend- ing on the class,? Guidry said. ?We train as we work; seven days a week, 365 days a year. At least one or two classes are going on each week.? CENTER CATERS TO MARINERS AT ALL LEVELS Spanning the full range of Kirby?s marine personnel, deckhands all the way to masters take Coast Guard-ap- proved courses ? and others that im- prove every aspect of the well-round- ed employee. ?Mariners can achieve a tankerman?s endorsement for danger- ous liquids and liquid gases; earn an Download complete catalog www.aluminumandstainless.com Building an aluminum boat? Aluminum and Stainless, Inc. has all the metal.MARINE ALUMINUM5086 50835052 60615456Plate ? Sheet ? Rod ? BarPipe ? Tube ? Shapes Weld Wire ? Fittings STAINLESS STEEL 304L 316L 303 17-4BOAT SHAFTS 17-4 condition H1150Two locations: Lafayette, LA 800-252-9074New Orleans, LA 800-562-9022Aluminum and Stainless, Inc. Marine metals specialists since 1969.Lafayette New Orleans www.marinelink.com MN October2013 Layout 32-49.indd 33MN October2013 Layout 32-49.indd 339/30/2013 11:29:35 AM9/30/2013 11:29:35 AM