Nautical Science

Program Overview

This three-year officer cadet training scheme prepares students for careers as deck officers, responsible for vessel navigation, communications, and security. The program combines academic studies at Warsash Maritime School with practical seagoing experience, and is fully sponsored by shipping companies. Graduates have opportunities for advancement both at sea and ashore, including roles as marine superintendents, fleet operations staff, pilots, and port operations managers.

Program Outline

Careers:

• Deck officers are a vital part of the on-board management team, taking charge of an expensive vessel and its equally valuable crew, guests, or cargo.
• You will take key decisions on manoeuvring the vessel and controlling its navigation, communications and security.
• Numerous opportunities also exist for qualified navigation officers ashore.
Shipping companies often recruit shore based marine superintendents and fleet operations staff from their seagoing officers. Harbour authorities recruit experienced officers to train as pilots, harbour masters and port operations managers.

Other:

• Officer cadet training schemes typically last for around three years and are split into five phases which alternate between academic studies, practical and safety training at Warsash Maritime School and seagoing periods to gain practical shipboard experience.
This is because officer cadet training is fully sponsored by the shipping company, covering course fees and also providing the means for gaining the mandatory work-based learning on board ship. Cadets will often also receive a small salary or living allowance while they are training.
• This course is part of the South Coast Institute of Technology (IoT), a partnership of colleges, universities and industry-leading employers to create new career opportunities in the technology sector.
IoT courses like this one are precisely tailored to the needs of employers in the maritime, engineering and digital industries – industries which are hungry for talented new engineers, technologists, technicians and creatives like you.

Officer cadet training is fully sponsored by shipping companies. Successful applicants will have their course fees paid and be provided a training allowance by the UK sponsoring companies throughout their training: .