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Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

Under the title Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels, workers command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Expect to direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards. On the six-type interest model it reads RCE, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Plan on one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree; O*NET labels this medium preparation. Strength in operation and control, speaking, and monitoring helps most here. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.

Main tasks

  • Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
  • Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
  • Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
  • Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
  • Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
  • Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.

Skills

  • Operation and Control
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Critical Thinking

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
  • You are comfortable relying on operation and control and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You need to start within a few months, with no training period.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCE takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Boat Captain
  • Captain
  • Ferry Boat Captain
  • First Mate
  • Harbor Pilot

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.