As I learned more about the Merchant Navy I realised that is what I want to do.

“I was inspired by a friend who had gone into the Merchant Navy and followed the Engineering route. At that point I was 20 years old and I had considered going to university to study history and politics. However, for me I realised that was not a career path that would work. And upon investigating the Merchant Navy options in depth I realised the Deck route was more suited for me.”
Following a successful interview with SSTG in 2010, Stewart was sponsored by North Star Shipping and started studying at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, which has since become the City of Glasgow College.

| My sea-time training

“My sea-time training was on board platform supply vessels in the North Sea with North Star Shipping who played a pivotal role in the career I was following. It really gave me a respect and appreciation for the sea and the elements – with of course the North Sea being quite a dramatic place most of the time. It certainly shaped me with the experiences I encountered.”

“I adopted an attitude to try and learn as much as I could from everybody on board. Including the Deck Ratings and the Boson. They were very experienced crew members.”

Stewart passed every exam first time all the way from Deck Officer to Master, also known as the Sea Captain.

| I achieved that by becoming passionate in what I was learning

“I achieved that by becoming passionate in what I was learning and using the experience I was getting on board ships to underpin that. And that really helped when I was put into an oral exam situation where you are speaking on a one-to-one with the examiner. Oral exams have the reputation of being quite an experience but my curiosity in everything I was studying really helped. The person examining you has to make sure that the person they are giving a Ticket to is someone who has common sense and is able to stand at watch on a vessel with the responsibility they have, and to know where to look for information and know who to ask for help. They don’t expect the person in the exam to be 100% correct with everything – they just need to know that it is a sensible person they are putting at the helm.”

| I made a complete change, over to the yachting industry

Stewart decided to take an alternative career path when he left North Star in 2015 to move on to Superyachts. As the classification suggests these are very large commercially operated luxury yachts and Stewart is Captain on board a 60m Superyacht.

“So I made a complete change, over to the yachting industry, which I have really found my calling with. I enjoy the team structure of professionals and you are seeing instant reward for the hard work you are putting in. I’ve circumnavigated the globe and been to some great places through yachting – a very rewarding experience.”

“There isn’t such a thing as an average day. As Captain you have to be there for the hard-working crew and to give the owner and guests an experience to remember.”

| The Merchant Navy gives people a lot of life experiences

“The Merchant Navy gives people a lot of life experiences and to go and travel and learn from other cultures. There are a lot of great careers to enjoy if you put your sea-time in and get your Tickets – and there are some great shore-based careers as well. It’s definitely a fantastic industry to be a part of.”

“My advice for anybody who becomes a Cadet in the Merchant Navy would be to become passionate about what you are doing. Be curious and enjoy learning and advancing your knowledge. As I mentioned before, learn from the Bosons and Ratings that you work alongside as well as the Senior Officers because at the end of the day that’s what will help you succeed and allow you to really take enjoyment out of that career path.”