2273-NOC

Deck officers, water transport

(NOC 72602)
Annual Earnings
$83,424
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
College Diploma or Apprenticeship, 2 or more years
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
760

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.

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.

Annual Earnings

$83,424

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$50.00/hr
Median$40.00/hr
Low$25.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

1,935

% Employed Full Time

55%
Source: 2021 Census

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.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Realistic
Realistic
Enterprising
Enterprising

Job Titles

Coast guard vessel first watchkeeping officer
Coast guard vessel navigation officer
Coast guard vessel watchkeeping officer
Deck officer - water transport
Ferryboat master
Master mariner
Ship pilot
Ship second mate
Ship third mate
Ship's captain
Ship's mate
Tugboat captain

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
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

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!

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

65%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

62%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

62%
Operations Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.

59%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

59%
Active Listening

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.

59%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

59%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

56%
Management of Personnel Resources

Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.

56%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

56%

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

1,935
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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%
Source: 2021 Census

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 (2023-2033)

760
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo Not available Not available
Kootenay Not available Not available
Mainland/Southwest 390 1.1%
North Coast and Nechako 100 1.9%
Northeast Not available Not available
Thompson-Okanagan 0 -1.8%
Vancouver Island/Coast 300 0.8%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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

IndustryJob Openings (2023-2033)
Transportation And Warehousing620
Public Administration120
Professional, Scientific And Technical Services20
Retail Trade0
Construction0
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.