MAR50120 Diploma of Marine Engineering (Engineer Watchkeeper Specialist)
Navigate your career growth to engineer watchkeeper
Chart your course to success by advancing to the role of Engineer Watchkeeper. This course equips you with specialised skills, ideal for those in the maritime industry operating as Engineer Watchkeepers on seagoing ships with main propulsion machinery, regardless of power or operating area.
Propel your career forward with enhanced expertise and qualifications.
This course is low fee* for residents of Western Australia and temporary residents holding certain visa types. An annual fee cap of $400 for those aged 15-24 or concession holders or $1,200 for everyone else, applies to this course. Some eligibility conditions apply for the low fee training and other fees may apply for some courses. Please refer to the FAQs for more information.
*Please note that eligibility requirements apply to some of the low fee training.
This course is a VET Student Loan eligible course. A VET Student Loan creates a debt that must be repaid to the Commonwealth and is only available to students who are eligible.
To find out if you are eligible or to see the list of eligible courses visit our Student Loans page.
Overview
Where Fremantle
When Semester 2, 2024 | Semester 1, 2025
How On Campus
Advance to the supervisory role of Engineer Watchkeeper. This course will help you gain specialist skills to advance to the next level in your career.
This qualification is suitable for people who work in the maritime industry as an Engineer Watchkeeper on a seagoing ship powered by main propulsion machinery of any propulsion power in any operating area.
Be guided by our expert team of lecturers who are industry professionals, as you develop a skillset to maintain and repair shipboard machinery and equipment and identify and correct complex diesel problems. You’ll also learn to perform emergency survival strategies, firefighting technique, applying medical first-aid as well as leadership and team working capability.
SM TAFE has key maritime connections which give students strong employability opportunities in oil and gas, shipbuilding and defence industries, alongside partnerships with Shell, Rio Tinto, Royal Oman Police, MMA Offshore Marine, BHP, INPEX and Australian Offshore Solutions.
This qualification is currently cited as meeting some of the requirements for certification as an Engineer Watchkeeper by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). People seeking certification should check requirements with AMSA.
Learn in specialised facilities
Situated in the port city of Fremantle, SM TAFE’s Fremantle campus includes some of the most comprehensive facilities for training in the country, with advanced training equipment and highly experienced and qualified lecturing staff. SM TAFE’s maritime training integrates simulator technology, a fleet of three vessels, biological and computing laboratories, along with engineering, seamanship and aquaculture workshops.
You can learn real-world skills in the ship, bridge and engineering simulator training suite and become job ready for your role. The technology used features the most advanced mathematical modelling and shipping databases in the world and the hardware replicates the current equipment installed on seagoing ships.
SM TAFE has been providing internationally recognised maritime vocational training in both coastal and ocean seafaring for over twenty years from the Fremantle campus.
- apply leadership and team working capability
- contribute to fire prevention and firefighting (basic firefighting)
- follow vessel security procedures (security awareness training)
- observe personal safety and social responsibility (PSSR)
- operate survival craft, rescue boats and lifesaving appliances (proficiency in survival craft)
- prevent, control and fight fires on board a vessel (advanced firefighting)
- survive at sea in the event of vessel abandonment and personal survival techniques (PST)
- apply basic principles of naval architecture
- demonstrate basic knowledge of marine auxiliary machinery and equipment
- demonstrate knowledge of ships and ship routines
Select your preferred campus and apply
Semester 1, 2025
Details
Units and fees
Credit units
The units below are intended for entry to this course as credit from prior study and do not contribute to the total tuition or resource fees for this course. Check the entrance requirements tab for further instructions about the study pathway to completing this course.
| National ID | Unit title |
|---|---|
| HLTAID011 | Provide First Aid |
Semester 1, 2025
Core
| National ID Unit title | General fee | Concession | Resource fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARF031 Apply leadership and team working capability | $105.30 | $31.20 | $16.50 |
| MARF035 Contribute to fire prevention and firefighting (basic firefighting) | $40.50 | $12.00 | $1,799.00 |
| MARF037 Follow vessel security procedures (security awareness training) | $14.58 | $4.32 | $57.00 |
| MARF041 Observe personal safety and social responsibility (PSSR) | $19.44 | $5.76 | $37.25 |
| MARF043 Operate survival craft, rescue boats and lifesaving appliances (proficiency in survival craft) | $72.90 | $21.60 | $998.00 |
| MARF044 Prevent, control and fight fires on board a vessel (advanced firefighting) | $64.80 | $19.20 | $968.50 |
| MARF046 Survive at sea in the event of vessel abandonment and personal survival techniques (PST) | $40.50 | $12.00 | $733.00 |
| MARF047 Monitor compliance with legislative requirements | $56.70 | $16.80 | $38.50 |
| MARJ008 Ensure compliance with pollution prevention requirements | $32.40 | $9.60 | $49.25 |
| MARL045 Apply basic principles of naval architecture | $81.00 | $24.00 | $38.50 |
| MARL054 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine auxiliary boilers | $64.80 | $19.20 | $38.50 |
| MARL055 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine auxiliary machinery and equipment | $97.20 | $28.80 | $49.00 |
| MARL056 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine control systems and automation | $97.20 | $28.80 | $38.50 |
| MARL057 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine diesel engines and systems | $97.20 | $28.80 | $38.50 |
| MARL058 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine electrical systems | $113.40 | $33.60 | $38.50 |
| MARL060 Demonstrate knowledge of ships and ship routines | $81.00 | $24.00 | $38.50 |
| MARL061 Perform basic marine engineering calculations | $56.70 | $16.80 | $38.50 |
| RIIWHS202E Enter and work in confined spaces | $38.88 | $11.52 | $23.25 |
Semester 1, 2025 fee
| Tuition fee | Resource fee | Total fee* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | $1,174.50 | $5,038.75 | $6,213.25 |
| Concession | $348.00 | $5,038.75 | $5,386.75 |
Semester 2, 2025
Elective
| National ID Unit title | General fee | Concession | Resource fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $21.00 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $21.00 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $74.50 |
|
|
$72.90 | $21.60 | $63.50 |
|
|
$56.70 | $16.80 | $38.50 |
|
|
$56.70 | $16.80 | $95.75 |
|
|
$64.80 | $19.20 | $1,085.00 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $21.00 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $33.75 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $33.75 |
|
|
$113.40 | $33.60 | $38.50 |
Semester 2, 2025 fee
| Tuition fee | Resource fee | Total fee* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | $850.50 | $1,526.25 | $2,376.75 |
| Concession | $252.00 | $1,526.25 | $1,778.25 |
Indicative fees and charges
The fees quoted are estimates only and are for all units in the course for students enrolling on a full-time basis. If you're a student that has successfully completed a lower-level qualification that is a prerequisite for this course, you'll only pay for the units that you need to enrol in to complete this course. Please view the full list of fee disclaimers.
Semester 2, 2024
Details
Units and fees
Core
| National ID Unit title | General fee | Concession | Resource fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| HLTAID011 Provide First Aid | $29.16 | $8.64 | $95.50 |
| MARF031 Apply leadership and team working capability | $105.30 | $31.20 | $16.50 |
| MARF035 Contribute to fire prevention and firefighting (basic firefighting) | $40.50 | $12.00 | $1,799.00 |
| MARF037 Follow vessel security procedures (security awareness training) | $14.58 | $4.32 | $57.00 |
| MARF041 Observe personal safety and social responsibility (PSSR) | $19.44 | $5.76 | $37.25 |
| MARF043 Operate survival craft, rescue boats and lifesaving appliances (proficiency in survival craft) | $72.90 | $21.60 | $998.00 |
| MARF044 Prevent, control and fight fires on board a vessel (advanced firefighting) | $64.80 | $19.20 | $968.50 |
| MARF046 Survive at sea in the event of vessel abandonment and personal survival techniques (PST) | $40.50 | $12.00 | $733.00 |
| MARF047 Monitor compliance with legislative requirements | $56.70 | $16.80 | $38.50 |
| MARJ008 Ensure compliance with pollution prevention requirements | $32.40 | $9.60 | $49.25 |
| MARL045 Apply basic principles of naval architecture | $81.00 | $24.00 | $38.50 |
| MARL054 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine auxiliary boilers | $64.80 | $19.20 | $38.50 |
| MARL055 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine auxiliary machinery and equipment | $97.20 | $28.80 | $49.00 |
| MARL056 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine control systems and automation | $97.20 | $28.80 | $38.50 |
| MARL057 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine diesel engines and systems | $97.20 | $28.80 | $38.50 |
| MARL058 Demonstrate basic knowledge of marine electrical systems | $113.40 | $33.60 | $38.50 |
| MARL060 Demonstrate knowledge of ships and ship routines | $81.00 | $24.00 | $38.50 |
| MARL061 Perform basic marine engineering calculations | $56.70 | $16.80 | $38.50 |
| RIIWHS202E Enter and work in confined spaces | $38.88 | $11.52 | $23.25 |
Elective
| National ID Unit title | General fee | Concession | Resource fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $21.00 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $21.00 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $74.50 |
|
|
$72.90 | $21.60 | $63.50 |
|
|
$56.70 | $16.80 | $38.50 |
|
|
$56.70 | $16.80 | $95.75 |
|
|
$64.80 | $19.20 | $1,085.00 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $21.00 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $33.75 |
|
|
$81.00 | $24.00 | $33.75 |
|
|
$113.40 | $33.60 | $38.50 |
Indicative fees and charges
The fees quoted are estimates only and are for all units in the course for students enrolling on a full-time basis. If you're a student that has successfully completed a lower-level qualification that is a prerequisite for this course, you'll only pay for the units that you need to enrol in to complete this course. Please view the full list of fee disclaimers.