Please Note: Every link on this page opens in a new window. If your "Pop-up killer" is too efficient it can also stop new windows. When this happens, please press "Ctrl" and click on the link you want.

Cadet Training Overview

It is possible for you to start your maritime career as a cadet. The cadet training, which before was open for a few only, replaces:
- basic seafarer course,
- first period of required sea time, and
- first college level education, deck or engine.
The number of ship owning and ship management companies plus maritime interest groups promoting and organizing cadet training has lately been on the rise ( 2009 / 2010 ). Generally the training is arranged like a multilayered sandwich. Classroom studies are alternating with training and work onboard cargo or passenger ships in regular service. Some small details can vary depending on respective ship owner's and/or Master's preferences.

MCA Guidance and Regulations - Training and Certification requirements according to STCW-95
- Deck Department
- Engine Department

UKSA offers yachting cadetships ( 3 year duration ) leading to officer ( deck or engine ) competence on super- and mega yachts.

There are a few companies employing cadets. If you choose Cadet training you get your job training mostly onboard a ship. In November 2009 I heard about some European ship owners reducing cadet's "allowance" from USD 500 to 200-250 per month.

Before enrolling in a school for the Ship Cadet course, check the school have agreements with some shipowners to take the cadets onboard for training. There are many schools around the world offering the course but no onboard training. If you enrol with such a school you will have great problems afterwards to get job onboard to get your "seatime". Without actual time onboard you are not allowed to sit the exam for the first license. For description and overview of regular seamen's vocational training go to Advice for Newcomers.

If a school cannot guarantee you can get the mandatory 6 months onboard training ( seatime ) before sitting the exam DO NOT ENROL. You will waste the money you pay for the school plus the 6 months you spend learning in the school. It's better to do it the traditional way and enrol in a vocational school's "Basic Seafarer Course". Then you get seatime as an OS or an AB and after three years at sea you enrol in the Navigational College. Plus you can save money while working so you have for spending in the college.

To try on your own to find a shipowner who gives you a trainee position onboard for the first 6 months supervised training bridge work can prove next to impossible.

Cadet Training in Different Countries

The cadet training scheme differs from country to country, but the learning objectives are always the same. In the UK for example, Cadets undergo training in a block-release format, spending a shorter time in college before going to sea for a short assignment after which the cadet returns to college. Other countries allow the cadet to finish his/her degree before going to sea, but most countries seem to prefer a system where a cadet completes all of his/her sea time before returning to college for the final year of their degree.

Therefore you cannot change from a training scheme in one country to a training scheme in another country in the middle of your training. Even changing from one employer's scheme to another's within the same country is usually not possible because the subjects do not always come in the same order. Even if it would be theoretically possible it's very much frown on because a cadet is supposed to continue working as an officer with the same company that provided the training. Preferable he/she should stay for several years afterwards.

"Cadet Crisis" Background

In 1982 the measurement used for fixing ships' port duties, pilotage and canal fees etc, was changed from GRT ( Gross Register Ton ) to GT ( Gross Tonnage ). GT is an unitless index of all enclosed space on a ship. Including space occupied by cadets. In the end this led to increased operations costs for commercial ships. The unintended consequence of the change was to reduce size of accommodation while the ships grew bigger.

As old ships slowly has been replaced by new ships with smaller accommodation and no space for cadets - cadets don't bring any revenue - we have arrived at the current situation where the whole cadet training system is about to break down.

In June this year ( 2010 ) there is a "summit" with IMO and other organizations in Manila, Philippines. I have a very strong feeling the "cadet space problem" is one matter that will be strongly debated and hopefully solved. Read Cadets in danger of being left high and dry. You must register ( for free ) to get access.

Ship Cadet "On-The-Job-Training"

• What is deck cadet work

  Deck Cadet gets part of his/her education on the bridge where he/she is part of (usually) Chief Officer's watch. He/she has no official responsibility and all work is supervised by the Duty Officer, who is responsible for the watch. When the ship is in port the Deck Cadet is mostly Chief Officer's messenger. Get overview and manual for deck cadet training programmes ( UK ) (   - 2.5 MB), approved by Maritime and Coastguard Agency ( MCA ) by Merchant Navy Training Board.
  
  

• What is engine cadet work

  Engine Cadet "works" in the engine room, often as part of the 1^st Engineer's watch, mainly doing cleaning jobs when he/she isn't attending some lectures. The cadet can take part in some work in the control room, supervised by the Duty Engineer. In port he is mostly the Chief Engineer's messenger or assigned to some simple maintenance work in the engine room. Get overview and manual for engineer cadet training programmes ( Canada ) (   - 0.6 MB), 07/2007.
  
  

• There are no catering cadets

Read what a couple of ship cadets have to say about their own training   .
This is what another cadet is writing a blog about while still under training.

There is a ship cadet Forum where you can discuss and get help to your problems while training. Sometimes some small problem can pop-up even after the training!

Cadet Training Providers

It's getting more and more difficult for a single private person to find seatime employment as trainee cadet. I therefore copy here from an Australian Ship Cadet Institute:

"It is highly desirable that prospective students arrange employment with a shipping company prior to commencing phase one, in order to progress through the on-the-job components of the course."

Mostly British ship owning and/or ship management companies employ Deck and/or Engine Cadets, there are real career opportunities:

• UK based shipmanagement company with a yearly intake of deck and engine cadets of over 100 persons accepts new candidates mainly from Bulgaria, India, Latvia, Romania, and Russia in addition to UK.
  
  
• German shipmanagement company with over 600 ships have offices in Germany, Australia, Bermuda, P.R. China, Cyprus, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Isle of Man, Japan, Poland, Singapore, and UK. The management company is an equal opportunity and anti-discrimination employer accepting personnel of all nationalities. The management company have a cadet training programme. To enquire contact nearest crew service centre.
  
  
• NYK Shipmanagement ( Singapore ) recruits cadets from Philippines, India, Croatia, Romania, Ukraine, China, Vietnam, Russia, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Go to Company Website for more information.
  
  
• UK tanker owner and operator running a cadet training scheme, which will end after approximately 3 years in either an OOW or an EOOW certificate. All applicants must be permanent UK residents and a citizen of an EEU state. Currently 19 cadet officers service on 12 vessels. To apply follow instructions on company website.