Guiding your path to a future of work on the water
In recent years the R. Tucker Thompson teamed up with QRC Tai Tokerau and Skipper Training NZ to deliver a training for the Maritime NZ Qualified Deck Crew certification.
We will not be delivering the Qualified Deckhand Training course in 2025. Instead we are focusing our efforts on delivering our 7-day Youth Development voyages.
If you are aged between 14 and 18 years old you are eligible to apply to join a voyage during which you can develop a range of transferable skills and gain valuable experience at sea.
Youth Voyage Information
Voyages are 7 days / 6 nights with 12 trainees aged between 14 and 18 years old, supported by four experienced and passionate crew members. You can find out more on our website here including a virtual tour of the Tucker.
You apply online via this link. Please use your email address as the username and assign your own password, it takes approximately 10 minutes to fill in the form. There is an option on the forms to select your preferred voyage dates and apply for a grant, finances should not be a barrier to applying.
QDC alternatives
If you already have a job on the water or access to a commercial vessel then we recommend contacting Skipper Training New Zealand who could potentially support you with completing your QDC through their standalone training course.
Manukau Institute Technology also offers a course that includes NZQA credits. You must have a job on the water or access to a commercial vessel.
Here is a list of approved training providers for other maritime qualifications.
“Doing the course expanded my knowledge of what Maritime has to offer as a career option. I enjoyed doing practical along with theory, it helped me understand a lot more.”
