Depending on your qualifications and experience, you can take variety of routes to being hired as a merchant navy deck officer. The first step to being absorbed to the Merchant Navy is that you should be sponsored by a shipping company or training organisation. The minimum age is 16 years, with at least four GCSEs (A-C) or equivalent. You should have learned English, maths and physics.

There are also courses that offer practical onboard training, which also qualify you for applying for the post of merchant navy deck officer. Experience in Royal Navy also qualifies you. The requirements also include physical fitness, good eyesight, etc. You need to pass medical tests to prove your fitness. Thus, you have different routes to the Merchant Navy and if you are interested in being mostly at sea, you can apply to an opening as and when advertised.