I qualified as a Marine Engineering Officer of the Watch in 2014, after studying for a Foundation Degree in Marine Engineering at Warsash Maritime Academy, which is part of Southampton Solent University.

My career aspirations have always been to work at sea due to the fact that it is a very practical job that allows you to travel the world and meet new people from a wide array of cultures.

Marine engineers on commercial ships are responsible for monitoring, operating and maintaining all equipment on board which includes a variety of jobs, such as working on the main engines and the sewage plants. You are constantly learning even after qualifying, working in an environment where no two days are the same.

In my gap year, I fully researched a career at sea as a ship’s officer and applied to various shipping companies. All officer cadets are sponsored by shipping companies throughout the three year period and are provided with training at sea during the programme. I found it vitally important to research the type of ship I would like to work on and due to my social nature; I chose to work on cruise ships and was offered a cadetship with Holland America Lines in conjunction with Viking Recruitment.

During my cadetship, I completed two four month periods at sea. The first ship I worked on was the Ms Oosterdam which visited ports in Hawaii, Alaska and Canada, to name a few. I found the experience of joining a ship for the first time extremely daunting and very challenging at times; however, my continued training and support from the company and Warsash meant I soon started to gain knowledge and skills in order to become a marine engineer.

The second ship was the Ms Nieuw Amsterdam which visited ports in France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey and Croatia. At this stage in my training, I was in no doubt that this was the career for me. My continued training and past experiences at sea meant that I settled into my second sea phase very quickly. Subsequently, I was requested back on this ship soon after qualifying.

To summarise the job, I would say that a career for sea is not for everyone. It will mean you are away from friends and family for long periods of time. You are also expected to live and work in the same place and with people of all ages and nationalities. However, if you are looking for a career that offers you tremendous responsibilities, which allows you to travel the world, and provides you with great career opportunities both at sea and ashore whilst offering competitive pay then you will find, like me, that a career at sea is definitely for you”.

To find out more about Officer Cadet Training Schemes

 

Visit: www.warsashacademy.co.uk/officercadets

Email: [email protected]