Decksman to ordinary seaman
A decksman already meets 48% of what the ordinary seaman role asks for. The move turns on 14 required skills not yet in the profile.
57.5/ 100
1 How much of what an ordinary seaman 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 ordinary seaman role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An ordinary seaman role treats 11 of its required skills as things a decksman already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- clean ships
- load cargo onto ships
- maintain ropes
- maintain vessel engine room
- moor vessels
- operate life-saving appliances
What stands in the way is 14 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 18 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An ordinary seaman 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 maintain ropes information skills
- already held clean ships handling and moving
- already held operate life-saving appliances working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held load cargo onto ships handling and moving
- already held manipulate sails on vessels working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held maintain vessel engine room constructing
All 18 carried skills, including the 11 the ordinary seaman role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 15 missing skills fall into 8 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 brightwork required
- still to learn secure cargo on ships required
- still to learn handle cargo required
- still to learn sort waste required
- still to learn physical parts of the vessel required
- still to learn principles of cargo stowage required
- still to learn Global Maritime Distress and Safety System required
- still to learn maintain vessel safety and emergency equipment required
- still to learn follow hygienic procedures during food processing required
- still to learn perform lookout duties during maritime operations required
- optional, not held inspect construction of ships optional
- still to learn use maritime English required
- still to learn types of maritime vessels required
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an ordinary seaman role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 maintain ship brightwork practise this
- 02 secure cargo on ships practise this
- 03 assist water-based navigation 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 18 skills that carry over
- already held clean ships skill
- already held load cargo onto ships skill
- already held maintain ropes skill
- already held maintain vessel engine room skill
- already held moor vessels skill
- already held operate life-saving appliances skill
- already held secure ships using rope skill
- already held swim skill
- already held unmoor vessels skill
- already held use different types of fire extinguishers skill
- already held vessel safety equipment knowledge
- already held act reliably skill
- already held follow verbal instructions skill
- already held follow written instructions skill
- already held manipulate sails on vessels skill
- already held perform manual work autonomously skill
- already held use different communication channels skill
- already held work in a water transport team skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn handle stressful situations in the work place required
- still to learn assist water-based navigation required
1 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held inspect construction of ships optional
40 held skills the ordinary seaman role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adhere to traffic regulations on inland waterways skill
- not needed by the target role apply regulations on cargo transport operations skill
- not needed by the target role assist anchoring operations skill
- not needed by the target role clean parts of vessels skill
- not needed by the target role communicate reports provided by passengers skill
- not needed by the target role comply with checklists skill
- not needed by the target role distinguish various types of ships skill
- not needed by the target role ensure integrity of hull skill
- not needed by the target role european classification of inland waterways knowledge
- not needed by the target role execute safety assurance exercises skill
- not needed by the target role facilitate safe disembarkation of passengers skill
- not needed by the target role follow procedures in the event of an alarm skill
- not needed by the target role help to control passenger behaviour during emergency situations skill
- not needed by the target role implement environmental protection measures skill
- not needed by the target role inland waterway police regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role international regulations for cargo handling knowledge
- not needed by the target role launch lifeboats skill
- not needed by the target role maintain service record book skill
- not needed by the target role maintain vessel technical equipment according to instructions skill
- not needed by the target role manage environmental aspects of inland waterway transportation skill
- not needed by the target role manage on board hazards skill
- not needed by the target role national regulations on handling cargo knowledge
- not needed by the target role paint ship decks skill
- not needed by the target role passenger transport regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role perform daily maintenance on ship machinery skill
- not needed by the target role perform services in a flexible manner skill
- not needed by the target role perform vessel maintenance and cleaning 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 provide first aid skill
- not needed by the target role read stowage plans skill
- not needed by the target role show intercultural awareness skill
- not needed by the target role types of cargo knowledge
- not needed by the target role understand different types of locks and their operation skill
- 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 equipment for safe stowage skill
- not needed by the target role use waterway traffic control systems skill
- not needed by the target role vessel stability principles knowledge
4 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 physical parts of the vessel required
- still to learn principles of cargo stowage required
- still to learn types of maritime vessels required
- still to learn Global Maritime Distress and Safety System required
Common questions about this move
Can a decksman become an ordinary seaman?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A decksman already covers 48% of what an ordinary seaman is expected to do: 18 skills carry over, 11 of which the ordinary seaman role treats as required.
What skills does a decksman need to become an ordinary seaman?
14 required skills are missing, plus 1 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by handling and moving. The single most important is maintain ship brightwork.
How hard is the move from decksman to ordinary seaman?
Its learning distance is 57.5 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.