Marine Electrical Engineering Cadet course for school leavers
Above programme is a full time residential training course conducted by CINEC, for school leavers with one A l eve l p a s s either in Mathematics or Physics along with a credit pass for O level English. Cadets are trained in CINEC for their academic studies in Electrical Engineering for a period of one year. During this time Cadets also will acquire basic skills in management, communication and leadership which will enhance their shipboard performance. Further six months training in Colombo Dockyard Electrical Engineering workshops and Ship Repair sections will be provided subsequent to CINEC academic training. Then the Cadets are placed onboard foreign going ships for a one year period, where they acquire basic skills in installation, operation and maintenance of shipboard electrical systems. CINEC assists them in securing their onboard placement, however Cadets need to be successful in the assessments and interviews conducted by the shipowners for their placements. Required knowledge will be provided to them during their academic studies and dockyard training.
Once the one year of their shipboard training is completed they will undergo 4 months of a preparatory programme in CINEC for obtaining Certificate of Competency ( COC) issued by Director General of Merchant Shipping. A keen student would obtain the certificate of Competency as an Electro Technical Officer which qualifies him to work onboard a sea going vessel, as Electrical Engineers in 36 months.
Electro Technical Officer( ETO) sometimes referred to as the Electrical Engineer or Electrical Officer, is in charge of all the electrical systems on the ship. The Marine Electrical Engineer is one of the most vital positions in the technical hierarchy of a ship and is responsible for their assigned work under the Chief Engineer’s overview. Shipboard electrical systems getting more automated where cruise ship industry or passenger ship industry are D. P. ( Dynamic Positioning) assisted, shipboard electrical engineers earn as much as 10,000 USDper annum in those special industries. However, on a regular Merchant Navy vessel ETO earns 4500 USD – 5500 USD where they work for 4 months on 2 months off basis.
Once a Cadet achieves a COC, if he wishes to remain ashore, opportunities are also available in port facilities, offshore oil and gas facilities, shipyards and drydocks and container yards where gantry cranes are in operation. If he possess three A level passes in the Maths stream, he could further his academic studies by studying for the Marine Electrical Engineering degree, depending on the degree awarding administration, he could trade off some subjects on the strength of the COC he possesses. It is a well known fact in Thermal power stations where gas or steam turbines are installed, managements prefer Marine Electrical Engineers since they possess boiler and gas turbine experience invariably, same as in Hospitality industry.