For someone interested in the mechanics and would like to work on large naval ships, a career as a marine engineer could be a great idea. A marine engineer is someone who develops and maintains complex parts of large ships and boats. To become a marine engineer most people could avoid going to a traditional four year college. Many technical schools, particularly those near major port cities, have marine engineering programs. Also, since they are generally the largest employer of marine engineers, the Navy tends to train new recruits directly into their marine engineering program. Following completion of a program marine engineers have many options. Many choose to join the Navy and take advantage of the benefits that it provides. However, others choose to join private engineering practices.