Decksman to helmsman
A decksman already meets 42% of what the helmsman role asks for. The move turns on 31 required skills not yet in the profile.
72.6/ 100
1 How much of what a helmsman is expected to do is already part of a decksman’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the helmsman role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A helmsman role treats 22 of its required skills as things a decksman already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adhere to traffic regulations on inland waterways
- apply regulations on cargo transport operations
- assist anchoring operations
- clean parts of vessels
- communicate reports provided by passengers
- distinguish various types of ships
What stands in the way is 31 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 32 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A helmsman role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a decksman background worth leading with.
- already held understand different types of locks and their operation working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held perform vessel maintenance and cleaning working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held execute safety assurance exercises assisting and caring
- already held follow procedures in the event of an alarm assisting and caring
- already held operate life-saving appliances working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held use equipment for safe stowage working with machinery and specialised equipment
All 32 carried skills, including the 22 the helmsman role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 43 missing skills fall into 12 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn maintain ship stability in relation to weight of passengers required
- still to learn anchor ships to the port required
- still to learn assess trim of vessels required
- still to learn manage vessel control systems required
- still to learn navigate European inland waterways required
- still to learn use modern electronic navigational aids required
- still to learn use radar navigation required
- optional, not held contribute to bilge and ballast operations optional
- optional, not held recognise abnormalities on board optional
- still to learn anchors used in inland water transport required
- still to learn international waterways required
- still to learn national waterways required
- still to learn physical parts of the vessel required
- still to learn principles of cargo stowage required
- still to learn vessel points of sail required
- still to learn vessel traffic services required
- still to learn assess stability of vessels required
- still to learn distinguish ship construction methods required
- still to learn evaluate engine performance required
- still to learn use meteorological information required
- optional, not held perform risk analysis optional
- still to learn supervise loading of cargo required
- still to learn supervise movement of crew required
- still to learn supervise movement of passengers required
- still to learn supervise unloading of cargo required
- optional, not held encourage teambuilding optional
- still to learn ensure safe loading of goods according to stowage plan required
- still to learn restrict passenger access to specific areas on board required
- still to learn verify qualifications of water transport crew required
- optional, not held implement workplace drug policies optional
- still to learn functions of vessel deck equipment required
- still to learn inland waterway ship building required
- optional, not held electrical systems used in transportation optional
6 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a helmsman role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 maintain ship stability in relation to weight of passengers practise this
- 02 stow cargo practise this
- 03 adjust weight of cargo to capacity of freight transport vehicles practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 32 skills that carry over
- already held adhere to traffic regulations on inland waterways skill
- already held apply regulations on cargo transport operations skill
- already held assist anchoring operations skill
- already held clean parts of vessels skill
- already held communicate reports provided by passengers skill
- already held distinguish various types of ships skill
- already held ensure integrity of hull skill
- already held european classification of inland waterways knowledge
- already held execute safety assurance exercises skill
- already held facilitate safe disembarkation of passengers skill
- already held follow procedures in the event of an alarm skill
- already held help to control passenger behaviour during emergency situations skill
- already held international regulations for cargo handling knowledge
- already held moor vessels skill
- already held national regulations on handling cargo knowledge
- already held operate life-saving appliances skill
- already held passenger transport regulations knowledge
- already held swim skill
- already held understand different types of locks and their operation skill
- already held unmoor vessels skill
- already held use equipment for safe stowage skill
- already held vessel stability principles knowledge
- already held act reliably skill
- already held comply with checklists skill
- already held implement environmental protection measures skill
- already held manage environmental aspects of inland waterway transportation skill
- already held manipulate sails on vessels skill
- already held perform vessel maintenance and cleaning skill
- already held provide first aid skill
- already held show intercultural awareness skill
- already held use different communication channels skill
- already held work in a water transport team skill
The 6 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn stow cargo required
- still to learn adjust weight of cargo to capacity of freight transport vehicles required
- still to learn manage emergency situations on board required
- optional, not held apply conflict management optional
- optional, not held provide feedback on job performance optional
- optional, not held use maritime English optional
- still to learn multimodal transport logistics required
- optional, not held detect malfunctions in engines optional
- optional, not held vessel fuels optional
- optional, not held have computer literacy optional
12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held contribute to bilge and ballast operations optional
- optional, not held detect malfunctions in engines optional
- optional, not held electrical systems used in transportation optional
- optional, not held encourage teambuilding optional
- optional, not held recognise abnormalities on board optional
- optional, not held vessel fuels optional
- optional, not held apply conflict management optional
- optional, not held have computer literacy optional
- optional, not held implement workplace drug policies optional
- optional, not held perform risk analysis optional
- optional, not held provide feedback on job performance optional
- optional, not held use maritime English optional
26 held skills the helmsman role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role clean ships skill
- not needed by the target role follow verbal instructions skill
- not needed by the target role follow written instructions skill
- not needed by the target role inland waterway police regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role launch lifeboats skill
- not needed by the target role load cargo onto ships skill
- not needed by the target role maintain ropes skill
- not needed by the target role maintain service record book skill
- not needed by the target role maintain vessel engine room skill
- not needed by the target role maintain vessel technical equipment according to instructions skill
- not needed by the target role manage on board hazards skill
- not needed by the target role paint ship decks skill
- not needed by the target role perform daily maintenance on ship machinery skill
- not needed by the target role perform manual work autonomously skill
- not needed by the target role perform services in a flexible manner skill
- not needed by the target role prepare engine room for operation skill
- not needed by the target role prepare simple meals on board skill
- not needed by the target role principles of combustion engines knowledge
- not needed by the target role read stowage plans skill
- not needed by the target role secure ships using rope skill
- not needed by the target role types of cargo knowledge
- not needed by the target role undertake navigation safety actions skill
- not needed by the target role use ballasts skill
- not needed by the target role use different types of fire extinguishers skill
- not needed by the target role use waterway traffic control systems skill
- not needed by the target role vessel safety equipment knowledge
12 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn anchors used in inland water transport required
- still to learn functions of vessel deck equipment required
- still to learn inland waterway ship building required
- still to learn international waterways required
- still to learn national waterways required
- still to learn physical parts of the vessel required
- still to learn principles of cargo stowage required
- still to learn vessel points of sail required
- still to learn vessel traffic services required
- still to learn multimodal transport logistics required
- optional, not held electrical systems used in transportation optional
- optional, not held vessel fuels optional
Common questions about this move
Can a decksman become a helmsman?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A decksman already covers 42% of what a helmsman is expected to do: 32 skills carry over, 22 of which the helmsman role treats as required.
What skills does a decksman need to become a helmsman?
31 required skills are missing, plus 12 optional ones. They fall into 12 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by working with machinery and specialised equipment. The single most important is maintain ship stability in relation to weight of passengers.
How hard is the move from decksman to helmsman?
Its learning distance is 72.6 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.