A nationally recognised qualification on the National Register of vocational education and training. This page answers the questions that actually decide whether it is worth your time and money: is the work there, what happens to people who finish, who pays, and who you could study it with. Every figure carries its source and date.
Often searched as Cert 3 in Maritime Operations (Integrated Rating). It prepares people for work as deck hand.
This is the current version of the qualification on the national register. It replaced MAR30218, whose currency ended on 25 October 2020.
The independent signals behind this qualification are positive. Specifically: its main occupation is rated in national shortage and national enrolments are rising. These are official statistics, not a promise about any individual's result.
Three official signals crossed: live job advertisements, the national training pipeline, and government employment projections.
Employer demand for these roles is holding steady. Across Deck Hand, about 33 jobs were advertised online in May 2026 (up 1.8% on a year earlier). Roughly 422 openings were advertised over the last 12 months, while 285 people enrolled in the qualification nationally in 2024. Enrolment counts people in training, not completions, so the two figures describe the pipeline and the market, not a job guarantee.
More people are choosing this qualification each year. National enrolments rose from 180 in 2023, to 285 in 2024 (up 58.3%).
Employment in these occupations is projected to stay about flat. Government projections put them at 6,300 workers in May 2025, 6,200 by May 2030 (down 1.2%) and 6,500 by May 2035 (up 3%).
Outcomes for this specific qualification, each anchored against what is typical at the same qualification level nationally.
The three wallets: a subsidised seat, paying full fee, and the time commitment that decides whether you can keep working.
Subsidy programs change and have eligibility rules. The official listing linked above is the source of truth; no dollar amounts are shown here because they vary by person and provider.
Fees for unsubsidised places are set by each training provider and vary widely. Provider pricing, intakes and payment options live on the individual course pages linked below, never on this page.
The crossing no single dataset can give you: official shortage status, subsidy availability and training demand, read together.
The independent signals behind this qualification are positive. Specifically: its main occupation is rated in national shortage and national enrolments are rising. These are official statistics, not a promise about any individual's result.
At least one occupation this qualification leads to is officially rated as in national shortage. In the 2025 Occupation Shortage List assessment, Deck Hand is rated in national shortage; Fishing Hand is rated not in shortage.
Approval to deliver is a regulatory fact, not a recommendation. Start with who is approved, then compare actual courses.
The five questions people actually ring up and ask, answered only where official data backs the answer.