Occupational map

Overview | Commercial Sea Fishing | Marine Leisure | Maritime Search and Rescue | Merchant Navy | Ports and Harbours

Commercial Sea Fishing - Career Pathway

Skipper - Role | Career Pathway | Required Qualifications
Mate - Role | Career Pathway | Required Qualifications
Competent Deckhand (Deckie) - Role | Career Pathway | Required Qualifications
Engineer - Role | Career Pathway | Required Qualifications
Deckie Learner (Apprentice, Trainee Fisherman) - Role | Career Pathway | Required Qualifications
Superintendent Engineer - Role | Career Pathway | Required Qualifications

Most Skippers in the seafish sector have worked up from a Deckie Learner, and the career progression is quite straightforward. There are, however, opportunities to move sideways or to shore-based positions.

Skipper

Opportunities within the Maritime sector
A Skipper may move to a different size or type of vessel (for example inshore to limited, or unlimited area).

Shore-based opportunities include vessel support or standby vessels, fleet operations and harbour tug work.

Opportunities in other Sectors
Experienced skippers may be able to move into related careers. These might include the Merchant Navy, oil or gas exploration, cargo operations or ferries. Other commercial vessels outside of the Merchant Navy.

Mate

Opportunities within the Maritime Sector
With experience (usually around 5 years) a mate can study for a Skipper's certificate.

This level of seagoing experience is valued at officer-level in shore-based work. For example, a Mate might work as a training or safety officer.

The Level 3 Marine Vessel Operation qualification that a mate might have would enable transfer to officer level in the Merchant Navy.

Competent Deckhand (Deckie)

Opportunities within the Maritime Sector
Once qualified as a deckhand, the obvious career progression is to Mate. This requires obtaining a Mate's Ticket and usually around 4 years experience.

Alternatively with a Class 1 Deck Officer qualification a deckhand can convert to the Merchant Navy to study for the MCA OOW Oral.

Engineer

Opportunities within the Maritime Sector
Depending on the size of the vessel, a qualified engineer may move up to Chief Engineer.

Shore-based engineering opportunities include plant and equipment manufacturers and shipbuilding and repair yards. Experienced engineers may move to a Superintendent Engineer position. There are also a wider variety of shore-based engineering roles in the Merchant Navy.

Marine engineers also work in the Merchant and Royal Navy, and with a general engineering qualification engineers can move between sectors, for example into mechanical engineering.

Opportunities in other Sectors
There are a wide variety of shore based industries requiring engineering experience.

Deckie Learner

Opportunities within the Maritime Sector
Competent Deckhand

Superintendent Engineer

Opportunities within the Maritime Sector
A Superintendent engineer may progress to a director position, such as Engineering Director.

There are opportunities within the Merchant Navy shore-based ship management sector.

Opportunities in other Sectors
Consultancy.
There are a wide variety of shore based industries requiring engineering experience.