Engineering Officer
What qualities and skills do I need?
Engineering Officers operate and maintain all the propulsion, power generation and distribution systems throughout the ship. So you’ll need to be practical, resourceful and have a real interest in mechanical and electrical systems. Along with good maths, written and verbal communication skills, you’ll be the kind of person who’s decisive, calm and able to inspire confidence in others. Overall, you’ll always be prepared to learn about new technology and adapt your skills to using it.
All Navigation (Deck), Engineering and Electro-Technical Officer ranks require a seafarer Certificate of Competency (CoC) – issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. You receive the Officer of the Watch certificate (OOW), on completing your Merchant Navy Training Board course through one of the maritime colleges/universities. Then – as your experience at sea grows and you pass the required examinations – you’ll get further certificates for promotion into the next job role.