RecordMove

Ship assistant engineer to marine chief engineer

A ship assistant engineer already meets 21% of what the marine chief engineer role asks for. The move turns on 16 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional

From ship assistant engineer

Distant match

To marine chief engineer

9 You already bring

16 Still to learn

69 Skills in the target role2

Learning distance A rebuild

83.2/ 100

adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change

1 How much of what a marine chief engineer is expected to do is already part of a ship assistant engineer’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 marine chief engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A marine chief engineer role treats 8 of its required skills as things a ship assistant engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
electrical systems used in transportation
maintain vessel engine room
maintain vessel inventory
operate vessel engine room
principles of mechanical engineering

What stands in the way is 16 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 9 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A marine chief engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a ship assistant engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held maintain vessel inventory information skills
already held repair vessel mechanical systems working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held operate vessel engine room working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held maintain vessel engine room constructing
already held electrical systems used in transportation engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held Global Maritime Distress and Safety System services

All 9 carried skills, including the 8 the marine chief engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 60 missing skills fall into 11 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.

Skill to pick up Tier

01 engineering, manufacturing and construction 4 required, 6 supplementary

still to learn electronics principles required
still to learn maritime electric drives required
still to learn electronics required
still to learn mechanical tools required

optional, not held engineering processes optional
optional, not held mechanical engineering optional
optional, not held mechanics of vessels optional
optional, not held engineering principles optional
optional, not held mechanics optional
optional, not held pollution prevention optional

02 information skills 4 required, 1 supplementary

still to learn carry out navigational calculations required
still to learn maintain voyage logs required
still to learn analyse work-related written reports required
still to learn conduct financial audits required

optional, not held execute analytical mathematical calculations optional

03 working with machinery and specialised equipment 2 required, 9 supplementary

still to learn repair vessel electrical systems required
still to learn operate mechanical equipment of ships required

optional, not held manage the operation of propulsion plant machinery optional
optional, not held operate life-saving appliances optional
optional, not held operate marine machinery systems optional
optional, not held operate pumping systems optional
optional, not held operate ship propulsion system optional
optional, not held operate ship rescue machinery optional
optional, not held maintain electrical equipment optional
optional, not held maintain electronic equipment optional
optional, not held maintain shipboard machinery optional

04 management skills 2 required, 5 supplementary

still to learn manage staff required
still to learn perform quality audits required

optional, not held lead a team in fishery services optional
optional, not held manage engine-room resources optional
optional, not held manage ship emergency plans optional
optional, not held coordinate fire fighting optional
optional, not held supervise crew optional

05 business, administration and law 2 required, 2 supplementary

still to learn international regulations for preventing collisions at sea required
still to learn International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships required

optional, not held maritime law optional
optional, not held ship related legislative requirements optional

06 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 6 supplementary

still to learn communicate verbal instructions required

optional, not held apply transportation management concepts optional
optional, not held prevent fires on board optional
optional, not held swim optional
optional, not held adjust engineering designs optional
optional, not held approve engineering design optional
optional, not held train employees optional

5 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a marine chief engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 9 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held Global Maritime Distress and Safety System knowledge
already held electrical systems used in transportation knowledge
already held maintain vessel engine room skill
already held maintain vessel inventory skill
already held operate vessel engine room skill
already held principles of mechanical engineering knowledge
already held repair vessel mechanical systems skill
already held use maritime English skill
already held act reliably skill

The 5 learning areas not shown above

Skill to pick up Tier

07 services 1 required, 1 supplementary

still to learn physical parts of the vessel required

optional, not held fire-fighting systems optional

08 assisting and caring 9 supplementary

optional, not held ensure vessel compliance with regulations optional
optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct in transport services optional
optional, not held maintain safe engineering watches optional
optional, not held manage safety standards for maritime water transport optional
optional, not held perform small vessel safety measures optional
optional, not held perform small vessel safety procedures optional
optional, not held prevent sea pollution optional
optional, not held ensure compliance with environmental legislation optional
optional, not held extinguish fires optional

09 agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary 2 supplementary

optional, not held fishing vessels optional
optional, not held risks associated with undertaking fishing operations optional

10 working with computers 2 supplementary

optional, not held operate control systems optional
optional, not held have computer literacy optional

11 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 supplementary

optional, not held mathematics optional

44 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to pick up Tier

optional, not held apply transportation management concepts optional
optional, not held engineering processes optional
optional, not held ensure vessel compliance with regulations optional
optional, not held fishing vessels optional
optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct in transport services optional
optional, not held lead a team in fishery services optional
optional, not held maintain safe engineering watches optional
optional, not held manage engine-room resources optional
optional, not held manage safety standards for maritime water transport optional
optional, not held manage ship emergency plans optional
optional, not held manage the operation of propulsion plant machinery optional
optional, not held maritime law optional
optional, not held mechanical engineering optional
optional, not held mechanics of vessels optional
optional, not held operate control systems optional
optional, not held operate life-saving appliances optional
optional, not held operate marine machinery systems optional
optional, not held operate pumping systems optional
optional, not held operate ship propulsion system optional
optional, not held operate ship rescue machinery optional
optional, not held perform small vessel safety measures optional
optional, not held perform small vessel safety procedures optional
optional, not held prevent fires on board optional
optional, not held prevent sea pollution optional
optional, not held risks associated with undertaking fishing operations optional
optional, not held ship related legislative requirements optional
optional, not held swim optional
optional, not held adjust engineering designs optional
optional, not held approve engineering design optional
optional, not held coordinate fire fighting optional
optional, not held engineering principles optional
optional, not held ensure compliance with environmental legislation optional
optional, not held execute analytical mathematical calculations optional
optional, not held extinguish fires optional
optional, not held fire-fighting systems optional
optional, not held have computer literacy optional
optional, not held maintain electrical equipment optional
optional, not held maintain electronic equipment optional
optional, not held maintain shipboard machinery optional
optional, not held mathematics optional

4 further entries not listed here

24 held skills the marine chief engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role International Maritime Organisation conventions knowledge
not needed by the target role advise on maritime regulations skill
not needed by the target role apply vessel engine regulations skill
not needed by the target role detect malfunctions in engines skill
not needed by the target role engine components knowledge
not needed by the target role manage on-board water systems skill
not needed by the target role manage ship electrical systems skill
not needed by the target role manage vessel engines and systems skill
not needed by the target role moor vessels skill
not needed by the target role operate diesel propulsion plants skill
not needed by the target role operate fire extinguishers skill
not needed by the target role operate sewage treatment plans on ships skill
not needed by the target role operation of different engines knowledge
not needed by the target role perform bunkering skill
not needed by the target role perform routine lube oil tests skill
not needed by the target role perform routine maintenance of ship engines skill
not needed by the target role physics knowledge
not needed by the target role prepare engine room for operation skill
not needed by the target role prepare lifeboats skill
not needed by the target role provide support in vessel machinery systems skill
not needed by the target role regulation on the discharge of raw materials into the sea knowledge
not needed by the target role stay up-to-date with maritime transportation technology skill
not needed by the target role unmoor vessels skill
not needed by the target role use different types of fire extinguishers skill

19 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier

still to learn electronics principles required
still to learn international regulations for preventing collisions at sea required
still to learn maritime electric drives required
still to learn physical parts of the vessel required
still to learn International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships required
still to learn electronics required
still to learn mechanical tools required
optional, not held engineering processes optional
optional, not held fishing vessels optional
optional, not held maritime law optional
optional, not held mechanical engineering optional
optional, not held mechanics of vessels optional
optional, not held risks associated with undertaking fishing operations optional
optional, not held ship related legislative requirements optional
optional, not held engineering principles optional
optional, not held fire-fighting systems optional
optional, not held mathematics optional
optional, not held mechanics optional
optional, not held pollution prevention optional

Index

Other moves recorded from ship assistant engineer

Full index of moves from ship assistant engineer

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a ship assistant engineer become a marine chief engineer?

Yes, and it is a career change move. A ship assistant engineer already covers 21% of what a marine chief engineer is expected to do: 9 skills carry over, 8 of which the marine chief engineer role treats as required.

What skills does a ship assistant engineer need to become a marine chief engineer?

16 required skills are missing, plus 44 optional ones. They fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is carry out navigational calculations.

How hard is the move from ship assistant engineer to marine chief engineer?

Its learning distance is 83.2 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

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.