Apprenticeship Β· earn while you train Β· live UK standard from the careers engine
Apprenticeship

Small vessel chief engineer

Level
4
Higher
Length
4 yrs
typical
Sector
Engineering and manufacturing
Pay
Paid
you earn while training

In a nutshell

Leading the engineering function for small vessels (less than 9000 Kilowatt and less than 3,000 Gross Tonnage) unlimited area.

What you'd do

Carry out planned maintenance on engines and machinery
Monitor propulsion and auxiliary systems during operations
Diagnose and repair mechanical and electrical faults
Maintain engineering logs and maintenance records
Oversee bunkering and fuel management operations
Ensure compliance with MARPOL and environmental regulations
Supervise and brief engineering crew on safety procedures

What you'd learn

Marine diesel engine operation, maintenance, and fault-finding
Electrical systems, generators, and power management aboard vessels
Hydraulic, pneumatic, and steering system maintenance
Fuel, lubrication, and cooling system management
Planned maintenance scheduling and engineering records
Maritime safety and pollution prevention regulations
Leadership and supervision of engineering crew
Ready to look for a place?
See live Small vessel chief engineer apprenticeship vacancies on the official government service.
Find vacancies
A Careermash concept Β· apprenticeship standard from our careers engine Β· vacancies via gov.uk.

Career data: role, pay and progression profiles built for Careermash's careers engine; AI-impact estimates from Anthropic's observed AI-usage telemetry and OpenAI's AI Jobs Transition Framework. Course data: HESA / Discover Uni, including Graduate Outcomes, LEO and the National Student Survey. Apprenticeships: IfATE-published standards, approved only.

Β© 2026 Careermash. A concept for secondary schools.