Engine cadet
| Highest | $4,200 / mo · Switzerland |
|---|---|
| Experience | 0–1 yrs |
| Degree | Required |
| First paycheck | 2-3 years (training stipend: USD 300–900/month); ~4-4.5 years (full officer salary: USD 2,500–4,200/month) |
Pay in the destination countries
Monthly, in US dollars. Each country is an Imora admission package — open one for that route's fees, language requirement and deadline.
| Country | Monthly |
|---|---|
| SwitzerlandIELTS 6.5 · CHF 0.9–8k | $4,200max |
| Hong KongIELTS 6.0–6.5 · HK–200k | $3,800 |
| SingaporeIELTS 6.5 · SGD 18–35k | $3,800 |
| United KingdomIELTS 6.0–7.0 · £11–38k | $3,800 |
| NorwayIELTS 6.0–6.5 · NOK 130–260k | $3,750 |
| United StatesTOEFL 80–100 · $10–70k | $3,700 |
What does the day look like?
An Engine Cadet is a trainee officer learning marine propulsion and machinery maintenance aboard commercial vessels. Work and rest hours are governed strictly by MLC 2006 and STCW: maximum 14 hours in any 24-hour period, maximum 72 hours in 7 days, and at least 10 hours of daily rest. The routine follows 08:00 to 17:00 maintenance work with the Second Engineer, or rotating watchkeeping shifts such as 08:00–12:00 and 20:00–24:00.
Approximately 75% of the day is heavy, dirty manual labor: climbing vertical steel ladders in temperatures of 40°C to 50°C, working in continuous noise exceeding 85 to 100 dB, pulling pistons on MAN B&W or WinGD engines, cleaning sludge from Alfa Laval purifiers, and taking manual tank soundings. Only 15% is watchkeeping rounds, logging in AMOS or Kongsberg systems, and boiler water chemical testing, while 10% is dedicated to completing the Onboard Training Record Book (TRB).
Where does this lead?
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