Are Cadets being let down and poorly trained? Thoughts, views and experiences please.

[JonathanI]

Being a cadet you tend to be at the bottom of the work load. The chief has a lot to do and if he doesn't want to train you then he is not going too.

You are not in an Isolated case ! I have been on ships where the OOW has turned up drunk. The OOW couldn't speak or understand English. The OOW failed to call the captain when we received a distress I had to persuade him to call the captain. Unfortunately it seems now a day that there is a lot more "tax cadet companies". You are only onboard for them to make money. The best way is to train yourself and ask other cadets when you get back from your sea phase ! Read books when you are in the library ask the lecturers at college.

[Martyboy]

It differs from company to company, I have heard some horror stories but luckily haven't had much of an issue myself. The company I work for seem to have a good training culture on the vessels and towards the end I was more or less given my own watch while the old man done some paper work in the background, but everything was very hands on. Not really sure what you can do other than read up and make the most of the bad situation.

[Clanky]

Oh dear, sounds like you have had a bad time.

I hope this is a rare case, but as you say there are other tales on here of similar treatment. It does happen and to be honest I'm not sure that I know the answer either in the short or long term.

One thing I would say though, as you have so carefully "not named" the company involved I hope that your screen name is as anonymous as it looks. You don't want your hard time at sea compounded by getting grief from the company for naming and shaming them online.

Have you spoken to your training officer about your concerns? (company training officer rather than DSTO)

The other thing I would suggest if you don't feel that you can approach the company now is to wait until you have qualified and then speak to them about your treatment as a cadet (whether or not you are still employed by them)

Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss anything in more detail than you feel you can on a public forum.

[Alighieri]

I am a phase 4 cadet with only 2 months sea time left.

Mainly as I have looked back on my cadetship, I feel that I have been poorly guided and managed throughout.
It seems to me that cadets are just an extra pair of hands without a voice. Im currently on my 3rd ship. My first ship was a good experience however my last ship and now the one I am on now is a nightmare. I think that the more I speak to fellow class mates and read posts here I am not alone with my views. Im not naming names of companies, especially Norwegian car shipping company that would have the initials WW.
Ive been asking captains, c/o and all junior officers for help. Mainly, the response from captain is, "ask C/O" and then the response from c/o is "ask 2nd or 3rd and when you ask them the claim not to know... Once again im not naming nationalities of the officers who adore Pacquiao and eat only rice and fish. This had been the story through the majoity of my cadetship. Now I appreciate there is an element of reading up, but somethings surely we should have help with. Ive got officers claiming not to know about how to work the ECDIS, do chart corrections, and have less knowledge than me of LSA and FFA. Is this right?

Other things that concern me are the following.
Being a lookout and not being allowed to ask questions
Being on ramp duty.
Not allowed to do things due to "company policy"
Cadets are only allowed to watch and not do? (If I pass my orals, can you imagine being on the bridge as a 3/0 and having to ask the captain up to show you how to do the most basic of things?)
They give you nothing to motivate you. Which I think is terrible.

Anyways. Rant over for the time being. Ill add more maybe later.