A deck cadet or trainee navigational deck officer or nautical apprentice is an apprentice who has to learn the basic duties of a deck officer on board a ship.[1] The cadet has to complete the prescribed sea-time obtain a certificate of competency as officer in charge of a navigational watch. The cadet has to undergo various training onboard and has to document those in training record book.[2] They have to undergo various forms of training, watch-keeping with chief officer, at port with second mate and normal deck jobs with the Bosun.
In the UK, it is possible to train as a deck cadet on a Foundation degree programme.[3]