Shipping cadets

Duration: one year followed by review and offer for full-time if applicable   

Under our sponsorship, you will be part of our highly structured on-board training programme while receiving a generous allowance. When you finish, you will have the opportunity to embark on a long-term career with one of the world’s most advanced international fleets.  
 

As a cadet, you'll face both mental and physical challenges, requiring drive, logical thinking and a passion for life at sea. Teamwork is essential as you play a key role alongside talented teammates in the running of a multi-million dollar ship.  

In this role, you'll split your time between deck operations, like rust removal, and bridge or cargo watch-keeping. Watch-keeping involves monitoring equipment, dials and ensuring the ship’s safety by looking out for other vessels and hazards. You'll also assist senior crew with tasks such as monitoring radar, performing lookout duties and overseeing cargo operations. Shifts are typically four hours.  

You’ll learn navigation, including noting corrections and plotting courses by the stars. Over time, you’ll take on more complex duties like passage planning and collision avoidance. At port, you’ll gain experience with anchoring, mooring and cargo handling, becoming a vital crew member overseeing ship operations and legal responsibilities.  

Qualifications

When you finish the training, you’ll have the following internationally recognized qualifications:  

• A BSc in nautical science.  
• Officer in charge of a navigation watch (2nd Mate Certificate of Competency) issued by D.G Shipping (Govt of India).  

Once you’re trained and qualified, you’ll be ready to apply for a permanent post as a deck officer on one of our ships. You’ll then have the opportunity to continue your training – up to ships master's certification.   

Duration: one year followed by review and offer for full-time if applicable   
 

Transporting commodities all over the world on a multi-million dollar supertanker? It’s a role like no other. And with our structured cadet programme, you can become a fully trained officer with internationally recognized qualifications in three to four years.  

As an engineer cadet, you'll work dayshifts in your department and occasionally assist with engine room watch-keeping. Your duties will range from stripping and inspecting engines to tracing the flow of water, oil or steam through the ship. You'll work with large machinery, where safety is always a priority.   

The engine room, hot and fast-paced, is at the ship's heart. You'll be trained to maintain the ship’s main engines, mechanical systems, power generation, and air-conditioning and refrigeration plants. The level of exposure you gain to the ship's systems is down to senior management and dependent on your eagerness to learn. As you advance to officer level, you will also take on the important responsibility of the safety of your engine room colleagues.   

While life on board can be demanding, the ship’s amenities like gyms, games consoles and wi-fi offer many ways to relax and unwind.  

Qualifications

When you finish the training, you’ll have the following internationally recognized qualifications:  

• Marine engineer officer Class 4 Certificate of Competency (COC) issued by D.G Shipping (Govt of India).   

Once you’re trained and qualified, you’ll be ready to apply for a permanent post as an engineering officer on one of our ships. Once an officer, you’ll have the opportunity to continue your training – up to chief engineer’s certification. 

What you can expect

You’ll split your time between deck operations (such as chipping rust off metalwork) and bridge / cargo watch keeping. Watch keeping involves monitoring equipment and dials, as well as looking out for other vessels and hazards. Shifts vary, but are usually four hours at a time. You’ll also shadow more senior crew and help with a range of tasks, for example: navigational watch – monitoring radar, performing lookout duties and observing the passage of the ship; cargo watch – monitoring the operation of pumps, flow of cargo, tank levels; safety rounds; maintenance of equipment.

We’ll expect you to note navigation corrections and monitor the position of the ship (day and night), navigating by the stars. Over time, you’ll progress to more complex navigation duties such as planning the passage of the ship (and ensuring it remains on this path), avoiding collisions by safely passing other vessels and making continuous calculations regarding distance, speed and time (taking into account weather conditions etc.). At port, you’ll learn about anchoring, mooring and safe docking, as well as cargo operations, stripping tanks and loading.

This wide-ranging role will make you a key part of the crew. You’ll learn to:

• Navigate the ship safely.
• Load and unload cargo.
• Handle the ship’s legal and commercial affairs.
• Oversee crew operations.

What you can expect 

As a cadet, you’ll work day shifts with your department and at times support watch keeping in the engine room. On a day shift you will be involved in anything from stripping an engine and inspecting components, to following the path of water, oil or steam through the ship – or ‘tracing them out’ as it’s known on board. You’ll be working with large machinery and safety is critical. The exposure you get to the ship’s systems will be down to the on-board senior management team and your hunger to learn. 

Other than maintenance, in future as an officer, you will be in charge of the safety of all staff in the engine room and as an engine cadet you will understudy this aspect thoroughly.

Hot and frenetic, the engine room is the heart of any ship. Our training will teach you about:

• The ship’s main engines.
• Running and maintaining all of the mechanical equipment including pumps, fuel systems, cranes, elevators onboard.
• Running and maintaining power generating, air-conditioning and refrigeration plants on board.

What you can expect on your stay

Usually on four-hour shifts, you’ll handle physical tasks such as chipping rust off metalwork, and bridge / cargo watch keeping, which involves monitoring equipment and looking out for other vessels. You’ll also shadow more senior crew and help monitor pump operations, maintain equipment and more. In time, you’ll learn to plan the ship’s passage and learn all about anchoring, docking and cargo operations.

Minimum requirements to board

• At least 18 years old by 1 September 2025
• Applicant's normal place of residency is in the UK 
• Applicants will need to pass an industry-standard medical examination in order to complete a placement at sea.
• Driven, with an adventurous, can do attitude and resilience to challenging environments.
• An aptitude for learning
• Respectful
• Either 54 UCAS points (or equivalent) including maths or science grade 5 / grade ‘B’ or above in all the following subjects:​ mathematics​, science​ (with physical science content) and English language​ 
• Or national certificate/diploma in appropriate subjects (engineering/science/maritime) plus GCSE (**or  equivalent as approved by the college) grade 5 / grade ‘B’ or above in all the following subjects:​ mathematics​, science​ and English language​
• Or successful completion of an maritime/engineering HNC or HND plus GCSE (**or  equivalent as approved by the college) grade 5 / grade ‘B’ or above in all the following subjects: mathematics​, science​ and English language​

** if a subject is similar to maths, English or science please check with bp advisor who will check with the college.

Qualifications

After training, you’ll have a UK foundation degree or college diploma in marine operations, a seafarer’s licence and deck watch keeping officer ‘certificate of competency’ from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

What you can expect on your stay

You’ll work day shifts and sometimes support watch keeping in the engine room. It means handling anything from stripping an engine and inspecting components, to following the path of water, oil or steam through the ship. You’ll be dealing with large machineries, so safety is critical. As an officer, you’ll also be in charge of the safety of all staff in the engine room.

Minimum requirements to board

• At least 18 years old by 1 September 2025
• Applicant's normal place of residency is in the UK
• Applicants will need to pass an industry-standard medical examination in order to complete a placement at sea.
• Driven with an adventurous, can do attitude and resilience to challenging environments.
• Aptitude for learning
• Respectful
• Either: A UCAS tariff of 54, including 12 UCAS points from a maths and/or science subject;​ plus GCSE (**or  equivalent as approved by the college) grade 4 / grade ‘C’ or above in all the following subjects:​ mathematics​, science​ and English language​
• Or national certificate/diploma in appropriate subjects (engineering/science/maritime) plus GCSE (**or  equivalent as approved by the college) grade 4 / grade ‘C’ or above in all the following subjects:​ mathematics​, science​ and English language​
• Or successful completion of an maritime/engineering HNC or HND plus GCSE (**or  equivalent as approved by the college) grade 4 / grade ‘C’ or above in all the following subjects: mathematics​, science​ and English language​

** if a subject is similar to maths, English or science please check with bp advisor.

Qualifications

When you finish the training, you’ll have a UK foundation degree or college diploma in marine engineering, a seafarer’s licence and engineer watch keeping officer ‘certificate of competency’ from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

What you can expect on your stay

Looking after electrical and electronic systems involves planned maintenance and reactive fault-finding and resolution. You’ll learn on the job, often dealing with cutting edge technology, machinery and advanced systems that you’re unlikely to get anywhere else. As vessels become more sophisticated, you’ll become even more important to us.

Minimum requirements to board

• At least 18 years old by 1 September 2024
• Applicant's normal place of residency is in the UK
• Applicants will need to pass an industry-standard medical examination in order to complete a placement at sea.
• Driven, with an adventurous, can do attitude and resilience to challenging environments.
• An aptitude for learning
• Respectful
• Either a UCAS tariff of 54, including 12 UCAS points from a maths or science subject;​ plus GCSE (**or equivalent as approved by the college) grade 4 / grade ‘C’ or above in all the following subjects:​ mathematics​, science​ and English language​
• Or successful completion of an electrical and/or electronic engineering/systems engineering or engineering HNC or HND plus GCSE (**or  equivalent as approved by the college) grade 4 / grade ‘C’ or above in all the following subjects:​ mathematics​, science​ and English language​

** if a subject is similar to maths, English or science please check with bp advisor who will check with the college.

Qualifications

When you finish the training, you’ll have a UK foundation degree in marine electrical and electronic engineering, and a UK Marine Electro-Technical Officer (METO) ‘certificate of competency’ (STCW A-III / 6 OOW) from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).