The Maritime sector offers a wide range of opportunities for those who are seeking a career that is closely associated with the sea, ports, rivers and waterways. This framework will provide both foundation apprenticeship and apprenticeship routes which will enable new entrants to work safely and effectively on board a vessel or in a port and undertake a number of job roles depending on the pathway chosen. For a foundation apprenticeship, these will include assisting the deck and/ or bridge team, assisting in the engine room, hauling fishing gear and stowing the catch, loading and unloading cargo, operating port plant and equipment, helping with management of passengers and carrying out various duties on deck and in the engine room and with its associated systems. It covers the essential competencies and underpinning knowledge which lead to a Level Two Maritime Studies Certificate or Diploma. or a Level Two NVQ Certificate in Port Operations and Level Two Certificate in Stevedoring essentials if the ports’ pathway is followed.

For an apprenticeship this will include either undertaking duties relating to assisting on the bridge with navigation and look out, berthing and mooring operations, crew and vessel safety (pathway 1) or assisting in the engine room with routine maintenance, repair and oversight of a vessel’s engines and ancillary mechanical and electrical systems,(pathway 2). Successful completers will either work in the shipping (including tugs) industry as a deck officer of the watch (pathway 1) or as a engineering officer of the watch (pathway 2) on near coastal waters. It will then be possible to proceed to a higher level qualification which will lead to becoming a junior Merchant Navy Officer, working either on the bridge or in the engine room.of a vessel operating in international waters