Wanted: More Indians: Marine Engineer

For a student finishing school and about to choose a career, what does marine engineering mean?
Marine engineering has very good job prospects with high pay and opportunities to travel. A trained engineer can work in ship building and maintenance, research, manufacture of navigating and engineering equipment, teaching, administration, plant management, project management, etc. A graduate marine engineer can also go for higher studies and do research or be involved in management without actually sailing.

Marine engineers can also join government service and classification societies.
In general, there is no scope for moving from deck responsibilities (administration, navigation, etc) to maintaining machinery or vice versa. However, a new course called a ‘Polyvalent course’ allows this changeover.
 
Can a marine engineer get into the Indian Navy?
Most marine engineers work on commercial vessels. Some who passed out from the Marine Engineering and Research Institute (formerly the Directorate of Marine Engineering Training) joined the Indian Navy as lieutenants.

How does one choose the right institute?
Research the institute’s reputation in terms of placement record and also how its alumni have fared. All institutes are graded by rating organisations and are regulated by Directorate General of Shipping. Institutes are also controlled by degree-awarding universities. Now, the Indian Maritime University has come into being, and all courses must satisfy STCW-95 (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) requirements.

Vessels with nuclear power have their own reactors, controlled by specialists in nuclear energy who have training other than marine engineering. There are specialisation courses for various tanker operations. Candidates may choose as per requirements.