The oil tanker The Knock Nevis, formerly known as the Jahre Viking, is the world's largest ship weighing in at almost 565,000 tonnes. Measuring 458m (1,504ft) the giant ship has a beam of almost 69m (226ft) and drawing over 24m (80ft) of water cannot enter most of the world's ports. Given the complexity in manoeuvring such a large vessel, the ship is also too large to navigate through the English Channel.
The SSTG provides comprehensive training programmes to assist engineer cadets
in qualifying for a range of different qualifications enabling them to develop
a career as an engineer officer. This includes programmes for Higher National
Diplomas/Certificates (HND/HNC) and Undergraduate Degrees.
An engineer officer is responsible for the safe and efficient running of all the technical aspects of the vessel. The officer works as part of a sophisticated management team, and has responsibilities that extend to the supervision of the engine room ratings.
Click here to find out more about life on board ship as an engineer officer.
“I enjoyed my training. It was only natural, I suppose, to have preferred the time spent at sea to the time in college because that is where I would be when I finished training. The work of an engineer cadet is very hands on, particularly on smaller ships, but this builds up your self confidence. On one occasion I was able to help with major work on a cracked sump - I felt then that I was learning about real engineering and also gaining responsibility.” Engineer Cadet now serving at sea as a junior officer
Higher National Diploma/Certificate (HND/HNC) Programmes
The HND training programme provides thorough and stimulating training in all key skills that you will require in order to fulfil the considerable demands that an engineer officer will encounter whilst working on board ship. These programmes typically take approximately three years to complete and alternate between training at sea and on-shore.
During the college phases academic and theoretical studies are completed together with practical and simulator training, making for a stimulating and rewarding learning environment. In the sea phases of training on board ship you will learn quickly how to become competent with the very specific demands that will be placed on you, and become comfortable with the adjustments you will need to make to enjoy life at sea. During the sea phases you will receive practical and professional training that follows a structured training portfolio to provide evidence of your growing competence and skills.
To give you an idea of how an HND training programme may work we have given an example here of a typical programme framework. Exactly how your own HND programme will look will depend upon the specific programme you are following, and the exact combination and duration of sea and college phases are likely to vary accordingly.
Example of an HND Programme
Phase |
Duration |
Content |
1 |
26 weeks |
STCW BASIC TRAINING
|
2 |
6 months |
INITIAL SEA PHASE
|
3 |
40 weeks |
REVIEW OF PRACTICAL TRAINING completed during phase 2.
|
4 |
6 months |
FINAL SEA PHASE
|
5 |
26 weeks |
COMPLETION OF HND MARINE ENGINEERING Advanced practical training covering:
|
Successful completion of the HND programme for an Engineer Cadet leads to the award of the following, as appropriate to the course you are taking.
- Maritime & Coastguard Agency certificate of competency as an unrestricted
Engineer Officer Of The Watch.
- Higher National Diploma/Certificate (HND/HNC) in Marine or Mechanical Engineering.
- National/Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 in Marine Engineering Operations.
The HND incorporates most of the academic studies for Second Engineer and Chief Engineer Certificates of Competency which will provide you with a good basis for continuing to develop your career.
The HND also provides you with an opportunity for you to continue further studies later in your career in order to gain a degree in your relevant discipline.
Undergraduate Degree Programmes
NOTE: This is an alternative to the HND programme and not an add on.
The undergraduate programme incorporates all the components for the candidate to qualify for a Marine or Mechanical Engineering degree. The programme takes four years and is the equivalent of three years spent at university and one year at sea completing all the required practical training necessary to qualify for the certificate of competence.
This programme can be followed by candidates wishing to achieve a degree as well as the professional qualifications enabling them to serve at sea. Alternatively, candidates may chose this route whose aim is to move into a role in one of the many associated maritime sectors ashore but where the knowledge gained by qualifying as an engineer officer will be valuable experience in the shore career. Typically this might include roles within the fields of marine insurance and finance, legal work and arbitration, and other economic, operational or other management fields.
The academic work in a maritime studies degree incorporates all of the necessary studies to qualify for the unrestricted Engineer Officer of The Watch certificate as well as additional studies about the maritime sector which provides for a fascinating and relevant understanding of how the industry operates. These additional subjects include shipping policy; international maritime and trading law; maritime economics; ship design and survey; ship operations and management; marine engineering; maritime safety and management; environmental protection; port operations; and business management.
During the sea periods on board ship, practical and professional training is undertaken following a structured training portfolio to provide evidence of your growing competence and skills.
To meet the sea service requirement, time may be also spent on board ship during the summer vacation as well as during the gap year. The degree programme lasts approximately four years, and are usually structured in one of two ways:
Successful completion of the degree programme leads to the award of the following:
- Maritime & Coastguard Agency certificate of competency as an unrestricted Engineer Officer Of The Watch
- B.Sc.(Hons) Degree in Marine or Mechanical Engineering
- National/Scottish Vocational Qualification Level 3 in Marine Engineering Operations.