Staff structure
How to be a master today
To qualify for an appointment as a master on a British ship
today, a seafarer needs to pass a number of examinations before
obtaining a certificate of competency as a master of a
foreign-going ship (a Class I certificate). The first step in the
process is to get a Second Mate`s certificate (Class III) and,
later, a First Mate`s certificate (Class II). In theory, any seaman who as served on deck at sea for the
required period (less than four years) could apply to sit the
Second Mate`s exam. In practice, almost all candidates serve this
period as cadets or apprentices. Originally, youngsters would sign
`indentures` (contracts signing them up for service) with a serving
shipmaster and spend the whole of that period with him. Later, they
would sign up with a shipping company. Master and apprentice would
serve on several ships in that company`s fleet until he had earned
enough sea-time to do the exam. More recently, most aspiring
youngsters sign on with a shipping company as a cadet. In the past, many boys intending to go to sea were educated at
special training schools - residential summer schools with a
seafaring and military regime. Few of these schools have survived
although many cadets attend pre-sea courses at nautical colleges,
for up to six months, as part of their training programme. On gaining their first qualification, a young officer would seek
employment as a Third or Fourth Mate. He would serve as a
watchkeeping officer for about 18 months, until he was eligible to
take the First Mate`s exam. Armed with his First Mate`s certificate (the `ticket, he would
return to sea with promotion, hopefully as a Second Mate. He would
continue to act as a watchkeeping officer until he could sit his
Master`s certificate, perhaps in as little as three years. Once he
had his Class I certificate, he would return to sea, perhams as a
First Mate. Promotion to Master would take some time, a good record and a
bit of luck. Today, an officer would not expect to get command much
before the age of 35 or 40.
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