What is the pathway to become a Deck Officer in the Merchant Navy?

To become a Deck Officer, you need to complete a UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) approved course.

A cadetship for an Officer of the Watch Unlimited Certificate of Competency – this is essentially your license to drive ships!

Starting a UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) cadetship involves several steps:

1. Ensure you meet the entry requirements, which generally include:

– Minimum age of 16 or 18, depending on the course.

– GCSEs (or equivalent) with passes in English, Mathematics, and Science (Physics is preferred).

– A clean bill of health, including good eyesight and physical fitness, which will verified by a medical examination ( this is called the ENG1 seafarer medical certificate).

2. Research and select a Sponsoring Company. Cadets are normally sponsored by shipping companies. The shipping company will usually cover the costs of your training, provide a small apprenticeship wage and provide sea-time experience (as you are required to have sea time as a cadet to get your Certificate of Competency). It is well worth looking at different ship types and deciding if there is a type of ship or trip length you really wouldn’t want to do – but remain open minded, what you thought you may not enjoy, you may love (happened to me with offshore supply!). You can apply directly to these companies or through training providers. Companies like Maersk, Carnival UK, and BP Shipping offer cadetship programs. There are a number of cadet management companies such as Clyde Marine Training, Ship Safe Training Group and Just Be Maritime who offer cadetships with a number of companies. You can find details of potential sponsoring companies here: https://www.careersatsea.org/apply/sponsoring-companies/

3. Some companies allow you to select which training provider you will study with, they must be an MCA-approved training provider, so have a look in case you have a preferred training provider. Some of the well-known ones include Warsash Maritime Academy, City of Glasgow College, South Shields Marine School, and Fleetwood Nautical Campus.

4. Apply to the sponsoring company(s) that you are interested in. This may involve filling out application forms, submitting educational transcripts, and attending interviews. Some companies and training providers might require you to take aptitude tests or attend an assessment day. Hopefully you will get a number of offers!

5. Once you have an offer, sponsoring companies will want you to obtain the ENG1 medical examination, which ensures you are fit to work at sea.

6. You will then enroll in the cadetship program. Typically the main intake is in September, with one later in the academic year around January/February. The training typically lasts between three to four years and includes:

– Academic Study: Classroom-based learning covering chartwork and tides, maritime law, navigational maths and science and meteorology to name a few. The SafeSeas Training Platform contains the whole UK MCA syllabus to assist you in your college studies. Enrol at http://www.safeseastraining.co.uk

– Sea Phases: Practical sea-time experience aboard ships, where you’ll apply your learning in real-world situations.

7. Upon successful completion of your cadetship, you’ll need to sit the MCA “orals”. This is a two part assessment, part A is a computer based assessment where you’ll be assessed on the collision regulations, buoyage and other questions such as emergency situations. Once you’ve passed part A, you will then undergo a face-to-face assessment with a UK MCA examiner, who can ask you questions on the entire UK MCA syllabus.

The SafeSeas Assessment Generator has a bank of 350 real MCA questions, with model answers to test your knowledge against the model answer. You can sign up here.

By following these steps, you can embark on a rewarding career at sea with a UK MCA cadetship. Once you’ve gained your UK MCA Unlimited Certificate of Competency, you can continue to gain sea time and take assessments to progress to the rank of Chief Officer and then Master.