decksman

Decksmen are unlicensed members of the deck department of an inland vessel. This position is usually the first step on the way to become an able seaman and beyond. They perform a variety of duties related to the operation and upkeep of deck department areas, the engine, and other equipment, mooring and unmooring, as well as (to a certain extent) the steering of the ship.

The most in-demand skills for this role include types of cargo, international regulations for cargo handling, national regulations on handling cargo, vessel safety equipment, launch lifeboats, help to control passenger behaviour during emergency situations. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Our AI-durability model gives decksman a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.