A deck cadet assists deck officers of a ship and handles its day-to-day operations. Deck cadets have to do their training (for duration of 18 months to 3 years) under deck officers. It is the initial step for achieving the position of a deck officer. As a deck cadet would complete an assignment, his/her performance would be evaluated for continued employment. The candidates who show the best performance are promoted to the second level.A deck cadet has to perform variety of tasks during their training. Only after successful completion of training, they are provided the designation of deck officer. A deck cadet is supposed to perform following tasks.

Maintenance: The most basic responsibility of a deck cadet is maintenance of different areas on a ship. A deck cadet might be asked to maintain a particular deck and he would have to direct other crew members working in this area.Safety Equipment: Deck cadet assists in supervising, maintaining and repairing all the lifesaving equipment such as rescue boats, survival crafts, launching appliances, pilot ladders, safety belts etc. Along with this, they also assist in supervising, maintaining and repairing different firefighting equipment. Navigation: Deck cadet assists the Navigation Officer to make sure that ship carries up to date and adequate charts and appropriate nautical publications. Along with this, deck cadets also help in preparation of voyage report, vessel's passage plan, daily position reports and the info sheet of pilot. They also maintain the bridge emergency signals and communications.Port Work: Deck cadets also perform few port operations such as watching and supervising the arrival as well as departure of ships, meeting various port officials and managing other parts of a ship’s business. Along with this, cadets also direct crew members for loading and discharging cargo and ensure that the task is performed properly.Nautical Preparations: Deck cadet ensures that the vessel is completely prepared for the voyage. Cadets are also responsible for checking the charts and nautical flags to make sure that everything is present and updated. They usually make themselves familiar with the route of the ship and other similar information.Records: Deck cadet helps in maintaining the recordkeeping on board ship. It includes regular updating of the ship’s logbook, nautical charts and daily position reports. Cadets also check the accuracy of these records.