Challenges of Maritime Cadets while training On-Board the Vessel

This study focused on the challenges that the maritime cadets encountered while training on-board the vessel. The researchers utilized the quantitative-descriptive method of research. The researchers conducted this study in Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation, Lucena City. The researchers used a three (3) part structured type questionnaire. The first part determined the problems experienced by the cadets. The second part dealt the strategies used by the cadets to overcome problems. The last part assessed the preparedness of the maritime cadets from the acquired training given by the maritime school. The research instrument was in a Google form to avoid direct contact with the respondents and observe the health protocols. This study was limited only to the maritime students and other related to them; friends, parents, and colleagues. Respondents of the study are the 1st class cadets who finished their shipboard training particularly with at least 9 months onboard and the relatives of the cadets who can help the researchers in gathering the needed data. The researchers used purposive sampling because the researchers want to access data to a particular subset of people. Results show the challenges experienced by the cadets. The survey reveals that the cadets experienced homesickness with a mean of 3.68 and verbally interpreted as often. The lowest indicator shows that ‘the cadets rarely experience being attacked by pirates” with a mean of 1.89 and verbally interpreted as "rarely". While the different strategies used by the cadets to overcome the challenges on board the vessel reveals that all of the statements included are always used by the cadets to overcome their problems onboard the vessel. The most used strategy by the cadets are the cadets always pray for God and ask for his protection, they always think positive, they don’t let the challenges drag them down, instead, they use it as a lesson". Hence, preparedness of the maritime cadets of was verbally interpreted as very important. The survey reveals that this part is very important in preparing the cadets before they train onboard the vessel and apply safety measures.