MAR20324 is the nationally recognised Certificate II behind ship's master work. It has been the current version on the national register since 2024, when it replaced MAR20321. About 49 ship's master jobs were advertised in June 2026, down 4.6% on a year earlier.
The independent signals behind the Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal) line up. Ship's masters are in national shortage, employment is projected to grow through 2035 and enrolments are rising. These are official statistics, not a promise about your result.
Job ads for ship's masters are holding steady. About 49 ship's master jobs were advertised online in June 2026, down 4.6% on a year earlier. Over the last 12 months there were about 800 job ads, while 1,445 people were training in the qualification nationally (2025). Ads show the market. Enrolments show the pipeline. Neither is a job promise.
Australia's official shortage list rates master fishers, ship's engineers, ship's masters and ship's officers as in shortage. The 2025 Occupation Shortage List rates Master Fisher, Ship's Engineer, Ship's Master and Ship's Officer as in national shortage; Marine Surveyor and Marine Transport Professionals nec as not in shortage.
Ship's master jobs are projected to grow. Jobs and Skills Australia projections put these occupations at 10,549 workers in May 2025, 11,103 by May 2030 (up 5.3%) and 11,813 by May 2035 (up 12%).
More people are choosing the Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal) every year. Across Australia, 15 people enrolled in 2024. In 2025 it was 1,445, up 9533.3% in a year. National data for MAR20324 starts in 2024.
The register and the national framework set some of this. Providers set the rest.
State funding for MAR20324 is being verified against official program lists.
Eligibility and student contributions vary by program and provider. The official state listing is the source of truth. In a subsidised place the government pays most of the tuition and you pay a co-contribution set by the program and provider.
The Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Coxswain Grade 1 Near Coastal) is 13 units, all core.
No Get Course partner currently lists this qualification. Check the national register for organisations approved to deliver it, and remember that approval to deliver is a regulatory fact, not a recommendation. You can browse live courses from our partners and enquire today.
Browse coursesGet Course maps MAR20324 to its occupations using the register’s own outcome wording, shown with ANZSCO codes (here, 2312) so the mapping can be checked. Job advertisement counts come from the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index and count online ads, not vacancies filled. Enrolment counts come from NCVER Total VET Activity and count people in training, not completions. Funding rows appear only after verification against the official state program list. Source vintages: register training.gov.au, synced 16 September 2026; employment projections May 2025 to May 2035 release; Occupation Shortage List 2025 assessment; NCVER Total VET Activity 2025 collection; Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index latest month June 2026; register synced 19 Sept 2026. Page last updated 20 Sept 2026.