Deck officers, water transport
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
Deck officers in water transport operate and command ships or self-propelled vessels to transport passengers and cargo on oceans and coastal and inland waters. This occupation includes Canadian Coast Guard deck officers.
People in this career supervise and coordinate the activities of deck crews. They work for marine transportation companies and federal government departments.
Job Titles
Duties
Deck officers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Command and operate ships or other self-propelled vessels, such as barges or oil rigs, to transport passengers and cargo
- Command and operate coast guard vessels to provide ice breaking and search and rescue services and to maintain control over ships operating in Canadian waters
- Board vessels at berth or from pilot boat to advise ships' captains on the course to steer for safe passage into and out of port, seaway or other waterway under pilotage authority
- Plan and execute safe navigational passage using navigational aids
- Determine geographical position using navigational instruments, maps and charts
- Guide vessels in rivers, canals, and other confined or hazardous waters and waterways
- Maintain vessel's navigational instruments and equipment
- Direct and oversee loading and unloading of cargo
- Supervise and coordinate activities of deck crews
- Record vessel's progress, crew's activities, weather and sea conditions on ship's log
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,935% Employed Full Time
55%Key aspects of work in this occupation:
- Work takes place on ships, coast guard or other self-propelled vessels
- Working on boats and ships with varied sea conditions can be hazardous
Career Pathways
Transport Canada runs a deck officer certification program, consisting of several levels. Progression from one level of certification to the next requires additional experience, training and testing.
Movement between employers is possible for positions requiring the same level of certification.
Progression to management positions in transportation is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is required
- Completion of deck officer cadet program from an approved nautical institute
or
One to three years of experience as a member of a deck crew is required - A deck officer certificate of competency, issued by Transport Canada, is required
- For ship pilots, a ship pilot licence and a master certificate of competency are required
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Marine Training
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,935Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 10 | 0.5% |
| Kootenay | 70 | 3.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 720 | 37.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 85 | 4.4% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 55 | 2.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 990 | 51.2% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
880Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | 0 | -5.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 400 | 1.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 140 | 5.7% |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 40 | 1.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 330 | 0.9% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 740 |
| Public Administration | 120 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 20 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
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