Florida Tech Offers U.S. Coast Guard Training Through Auxiliary University Program

Florida Tech students interested in pursuing a future in the U.S. Coast Guard have an opportunity to train through the university’s Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP) established in partnership with the Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences.

AUP paves a pathway for students interested in officer commissioning in the Coast Guard or the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Officer Corps. Based at the Mertens Marine Center, Florida Tech AUP was launched at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. The inaugural class consists of 12 undergraduates with majors in fields such as ocean engineering and marine sciences, computer science and aviation.

The program starts by developing students’ boating, emergency management and related maritime skills. The basic curriculum covers navigation, search and rescue, boat handling, seamanship, mission planning and FEMA incident management. After two years, students focus on gaining real-world experience supporting Coast Guard missions before finally pursuing a commission.

Florida Tech’s program is especially focused on boat handling and operations. According to William Cox, Florida Tech AUP’s U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary liaison, the university’s proximity to USCG Station Port Canaveral enables students to participate in a broad range of local Coast Guard projects.

“The whole idea of the program is to find the kind of fun things they want to do. They can be pollution responders, they can do boat operations, air operations, cutter support,” Cox said. “Students can plug into these opportunities and gain real-world experience.”

As part of the Auxiliary, students are official members of the Coast Guard and receive their own employee ID number and badge. They work on missions as volunteers where they earn qualifications, intern with units and grow their leadership experience.

“They can be at the port doing inspections onboard ships, they can be doing cybersecurity support,” Cox said. “They actually are in a uniform doing a job as part of Team Coast Guard.”

USCG AUP graduates have a 70% selection rate for Coast Guard and NOAA commissions. By graduation, students can say they have four years of Coast Guard experience, which Cox said makes a compelling case when applying for graduate school or jobs.

This program is also open to faculty and staff seeking the training opportunity. Students must be U.S. citizens and at least 17 years old. AUP is open enrollment, and there’s no cost to join.

“We give them a chance to dip their toes in the water and see if they like it, and if they don’t, no harm, no foul,” Cox said. “But if they do like it, there’s all kinds of opportunities.”