The 17-week Electro Technical Officer Course is a pre-sea training course approved by the South African Maritime Safety Authority​ (SAMSA). The course is designed to give candidates adequate knowledge and skills to take on the responsibility of Electro Technical Officer on merchant ships.

Electro-Technical Officers Course is a specialized course that is mandatory for those who want to serve on ships. The pre-sea course is conducted at African Seafarers Training Group (ASTG) and deals with initial familiarization with shipboard systems, equipment, and machinery involved in the operation of the vessels.

The relevant electrical and electronic equipment’s control and automation systems will be dealt with in detail to enable the candidate to nurture decision-making for troubleshooting and rectification of defects. The course makes the candidate aware of the risks involved at sea and the importance of imbibing a safety culture.

Upon successful completion of the classroom training, cadets are awarded a pre-sea course completion certificate and qualified to join a ship as an Electro Technical Officer, where he or she is required to complete at least 6 months’ training service on merchant navy vessels.

Upon completion of the training period, one is awarded Certificates of Competency (CoC) under the new category of technically qualified and trained officer. The course consists of 17 weeks (4 months) of long classroom (pre-sea) training and 10 months of onboard training where the cadet is entitled to a stipend, free boarding, and lodging.

Please Note:
i) Candidates seeking admissions to marine programs are strongly recommended to have passports. Please note that the name on the passport should be the same as given on the 10th grade certificate.
ii) Admission to this course is granted after fulfilling the below-mentioned eligibility criteria.