Becoming a marine engineer is a wonderful option for those who want to grow their character, exercise their passions in creativity and work on maritime operations at sea. This is a highly rewarding career which suits perfectly those with a real interest in the inner workings of machinery and equipment, as well as for those who enjoy technical activities and travel.
If this sounds like something which you would like to do then here we are going to take a look into exactly what it is that a marine engineer does, and what you need to do in order to start this career.
What An Engineer Does
An engineer working in the marines is responsible for ensuring that engines, electrics, refrigeration, cargo handling systems and air conditioning on ships are fully operational. This job role also requires data recording equipment to be monitored and maintained, as well as looking into the operations of smaller vessels and doing additional work on equipment when at the port. The inner workings of the ship and the maintenance of the machinery are the core functions of a marine engineer.
Skills a Marine Engineer Needs
For this particular industry, the core requirements in terms of skills will be the same as any other engineer. This includes a willingness to learn, a creative bend, the desire to solve problems and knowledge which is entered in the fields of math and science. Marine engineers must have a keen eye for detail, they must also have a strong understanding of the components of a ship and other sea-faring vessels and the ability to identify issues swiftly and ensure that they are resolved.
What Qualifications Are Required
Maritime training will, of course, be a key feature of your education to become a marine engineer, and there are some further courses which you must have completed in order to take on this position.
At the very least you should have a diploma of Maritime operations to get started at entry-level in this industry, it is, however, preferable to have a graduate certificate in Marine Engineering.
TAFE offers some fantastic maritime courses which can prove to be a great starting point for anyone who has a real desire to get into this career. The idea for you will be to gain your qualification and then use that to get your first position. It will be on the job where you learn the large majority of your craft, and you will often be working with a much more experienced member of the team.
Breaking Down The Facts of The Job
The average age of a fully qualified and fully-fledged maritime engineer is 45, there is a moderate potential for future growth and the average weekly pay is $2,123. There is very little job turnover in this career and there is a huge range of opportunities for someone with these skills, unemployment is very rare in this career. On average the working week for a maritime engineer is 57 hours, and of course, there is a great amount of the job which is spent on vessels at sea.
Do you think that this could be a career choice for you?