About 70% of the earth is covered by water, so it's no wonder that the maritime world, the shipping industry and jobs range widely. In fact, the shipping industry accounts for 90% of the world trade, including both Christmas gifts from other countries as well as raw materials and resources. So, it's a huge industry and there are plenty of opportunities to build a career. I myself have chosen to facilitate maritime transport by supplying ships with fuel, but there are many... many other paths to take!
From naval officer to fisherman
It is possible to work in the maritime environment in both the private and public sectors, and for many positions there are very specific and equivalent training courses. I myself trained in Freight Forwarding and Shipping, which focuses on transport and logistics, but you can also work as crew on ships, as a cook, engineer, navigator, shipmaster and much more. It is also possible to become a commercial fisherman or officer in the Navy, to work on offshore wind turbines or oil rigs, to manage maritime companies from land, to fight piracy as a frogman or to develop new technology for ships.
Here's a list of some of your options:
Bunker supplier
I'm a bunker supplier myself (also called a bunker trader), which means I trade bunker - fuel for ships. I manage the whole trading process from finding customers to negotiating prices and finally executing the trade itself. As a bunker supplier, you also have the expertise to advise customers on fuel types, port selection and much more. You're also the one who makes sure the fuel gets transported to your customer's ship. The job is onshore - typically in an office - but as it's an international industry, you may well get the chance to travel around the world.
The path to the job as a bunker supplier is not the same for everyone. I myself trained in freight forwarding and shipping, which is a broader qualification that offers opportunities throughout the shipping industry. But you can also study courses specifically related to bunkering or get a trainee position in a bunkering company and be trained that way. I've done that myself.
Naval officer
The Navy, like the Army and Air Force, is part of the Armed Forces, and you can become an officer in any of the three branches. There are specific requirements you have to meet to be admitted to the Naval Officers' School, but then you also get access to a well-respected leadership programme and rich job opportunities.
An officer in the Canadian Navy can specialise in different ways:
Ship navigation
Above or under-water weapons direction
Management of information and communication systems
Submarine service
Clearance diving.
Marine engineer
An engineer doesn't necessarily work in the maritime industry, but it's clearly an option - in shipping, offshore and offshore wind - although only about 20% of all engineers work at sea. However, the marine engineer does, and he/she is a specialist in electronics, mechanics and much else, as well as being a manager. So you'll be responsible for entire engineering projects, staff and other groups of specialists. At sea, engineers work on the technical installations, engines and safety systems of ships, but you may also be responsible for producing offshore wind turbines and their parts.
Shipmaster (captain)
A shipmaster is in charge of navigation and safety onboard a ship, and you could say it's the civilian equivalent of the naval officer. As a shipmaster, you are qualified to work as a mate, shipmaster and leader, so the job can take you all the way out into international waters with the big merchant ships, if that's what you want. However, you can also work as a manager in the private sector on land or sail small ferries in Canada. If you dream of becoming the captain of a ship, this is the path to follow.
Fisherman
As a commercial fisherman you work on a fishing cutter, but you can also train and end up as a skipper on larger vessels. The job involves fishing, as you know, but you'll also learn about safety at sea, navigation, radio, fish species, hydraulics and many other things you need to know about when at sea.
Offshore worker
An offshore worker works on a drilling rig at sea. For most, the work itself can be similar to that done on a ship - unless, for example, you're a driller. As an offshore worker, you get to do all sorts of things - in fact, you start as a 'roustabout'. The job is to drill the seabed for oil, natural gas and other resources, and your work has to support this in various ways. You'll therefore get your hands dirty and use your body. It's a physically demanding job, and you'll typically be out on a drilling rig for 2-3 weeks, after which you'll also have 2-3 weeks off.
Pilot
As a pilot, you're involved in helping ships safely through certain waters - not flying airplanes. So you become an expert in your area of the sea, and when ships have to make a passage, you're onboard. Here you advise the crew through heavy ship traffic and the best sailing routes. Maritime transport never sleeps, so the job of a pilot can be as busy as the health service, the police or other professions that need to be active at all times.