One of the questions I get asked the most is: "Dude, I want to become a seafarer, where should I start?" I wanted to share my own experiences and give an answer that is both sincere and realistic.
First and foremost, you need to know this: seafaring is a profession that is as challenging as it is romantic. The blue oceans and exotic ports you see in movies certainly exist, but the job also requires patience, discipline, and serious hard work.
The first step to becoming a seafarer is getting the right education. Maritime faculties or vocational schools lay the groundwork for this career. If you want to be on the deck side, you’ll head toward the captain’s path. If the engineering side interests you, sweating it out in the engine room might be for you. I came up through the marine engineering track and currently serve as the Third Engineer. If you don't take the education part seriously, living life at sea will remain just a dream.
At sea, the internet is restricted, you are away from family, and sometimes you see the same faces for months on end. Sometimes it’s day and night watch shifts, sometimes it's intensive maintenance work in port... If you can say, "I am resilient, and I will fight for my goals," then this profession will give you a lot.
Things in seafaring run on paperwork. STCW courses, medical reports, passport, visa, Seaman’s Book... the list goes on. But don't let that intimidate you; everything gets sorted out step by step.
You start as a cadet/trainee first. Then you move up, from Fourth Engineer to Third Engineer, and so on. If you are disciplined and patient, you can advance all the way to Captain or Chief Engineer. The salary you earn during this process is also an attractive side, especially since it is often currency-based (in foreign exchange).
Becoming a seafarer changes your life. While your friends on land are going for coffee on the weekend, you're on the deck in the middle of the ocean watching the stars. One day you find yourself ashore in Brazil, and the next you’re doing ship maintenance in Singapore. This job brings both freedom and great responsibility.
Note: The information and career path mentioned above primarily reflect the system and requirements in Turkey.