Call Now For Program Info
New Mainland Campus. Our new Surrey campus is now open for registration.
GET STARTED NOW
Start dates, course outlines,
program cost and more!
By requesting more information, I agree to receive future communication from WMI. I can opt out at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Start Training for a Career of a Lifetime
You hear the Captain’s voice calling you from the bridge and another voyage is over. As you pack your duffel bag to head ashore, you look around at your mates who have shared the bond that the past days and weeks have created. Now, with the wind at your back and the sound of the surf in your ears, you head home. No two days were ever the same; storms and calms, danger and leisure all made the rewards and excitement of the voyage. But you’re a seafarer and that’s what a career at sea is all about!
And you had been prepared for it. In fact, you liked the feeling of being on the edge of the world helping transport people and goods across the seas, working as a deck hand, fishing in deep waters and dreaming of perhaps one day commanding your own ship.
This is no ordinary career. A career you choose. A career that will allow you to tell tales of experiences that will become legends in your family.
Do you want a career that can provide you with more than just a paycheck?
Then this is the career option for you.
Start In the $12 Billion/Year Marine Industry
The marine industry is looking for enthusiastic mariners to join or advance in its ranks. With over 373,000 jobs in the Canadian Marine industry, you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity with excellent career possibilities.
As mariners retire and projects like LNG Kitimat come online, demand for qualified, experienced people is increasing, creating shortages for mariners to fill these roles.
Western Maritime Institute Graduates Work
B.C. Ferry Services
Seaspan Marine
Canadian Coast Guards
Jones Marine
RCMP West Coast Marine Services
Nanaimo Port Authority
James Walkus Fishing Co.
And many more
So where do you start?
Whether you choose to start with Marine Emergency Duties courses or enroll in the full Bridge Watch Rating (entry-level Deckhand) program you will be embarking on a lifelong career. If you’re new to the marine industry, the Bridge Watch Rating program is a great place to start.
Accelerate Your Career. Study at the Largest Private Marine Institute in Canada
Western Maritime Institute has two campuses in BC (Surrey & Ladysmith) and is the largest private marine institute in Canada. You will be able to launch your career in the marine industry faster than other public institutions. WMI’s courses are designed to ensure students minimize their time in class and maximize their time at sea.
In as little as three months, you could be at sea working as part of a ship’s crew instead of sitting in a classroom. This means you are earning more money, sooner, getting your required hours at sea sooner, and working towards the career you dream of sooner.
Certificates of Competency
Mate & Master
- Small Vessel Operator Proficiency
- Master Limited – 60 GT
- Mate – 150 GT
- Master – 150 GT
- Mate, Domestic – 500 GT
- Master, Domestic – 500 GT
- Watchkeeping Mate, Near Coastal
Fishing
- Small Vessel Operator Proficiency
- Watchkeeping Mate of a Fishing Vessel (150 GT)
- Fishing Master 4 – 100 GT
- Fishing Master 3 – Unlimited Tonnage
Grad Spotlight:
Mike Van der Vlugt
Graduated: 2013
Course: Bridge Watch Rating
Job: Deckhand, Canadian Coast Guard
“About 11 days after leaving the school, I was working on a Coast Guard ship. I wanted to thank you and the school for preparing me so well for employment! The job is awesome.”