Commercial shipping giants conduct interviews with Pre-cadetship students on campus
12 March 2026
Recruitment executives from some of the world’s biggest shipping companies search for new talent by regularly visiting Brockenhurst College to interview Pre-cadetship students as preferred candidates, it has been revealed.
Curriculum Leader for Maritime, Marine and Construction, Matt Rolph, said the busy interview schedule showed that Brock’s two Pre-cadetship courses were highly regarded by the commercial shipping industry.
This academic year, 30 students have been offered fully funded cadetship opportunities, which will most likely see them study at the internationally respected Warsash Maritime Academy – part of Solent University.
Meanwhile, more interviews with Level 2 and Level 3 Pre-cadetship students have been scheduled for the spring.
Recruitment partners include Carnival UK, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, Just Be Maritime, Watermark and Ship Safe Training Group.
Matt Rolph said: “The original Pre-cadetship programme was launched in 2020 at our Marchwood campus to address a skills shortage in the maritime sector and offer a fast-track, direct pathway from school to industry.
“Working closely with Warsash Maritime Academy, we designed course content with the guiding principle of creating the perfect cadetship applicant.
“In particular, we focus on teaching the skills, knowledge and behaviours that global shipping companies want to see in new recruits.
“We also listened carefully to what Warsash lecturers said about what skills, knowledge and behaviours they felt were essential in new cadets.
“As a result, we were able to formally align our teaching provision with Warsash in 2023, creating the Warsash Maritime Academy Pre-cadetship at Brockenhurst College.
“This combined input has shaped and evolved the course structure to the point where the students are now preferred applicants for cadetship opportunities.
“All UK shipping companies recruiting British cadets now actively engage with us, presenting their unique offering to our students in person at Marchwood during employability seminars and interviews.”
Brockenhurst College is one of only a handful of UK colleges to offer Pre-cadetship courses for the Merchant Navy.
So far, 120 pre-cadets have gained a full cadetship, including the 30 this academic year.
You can discover more about the Pre-cadetship for the Merchant Navy Level 3 programme at Brockenhurst College by clicking here
For the Level 2 course, please click here
