Cadets’ Onboard Training Challenges Towards Commitment to Completing BS Degree: Basis for Enhanced Onboard Training Program of PNTC Colleges

Abstract

Onboard training is the final phase for maritime cadets pursuing either a marine transportation or marine engineering program. It is where the cadets apply the knowledge they have earned during their 3-year academic instruction. Despite its importance, cadets may face different challenges, such as limited mentorship, stressful working conditions, communication barriers, and cultural differences that may affect their commitment to completing their bachelor’s degree. At PNTC Colleges, only 15.46% of students have finished their bachelor’s degree over the past two decades. This study examined the challenges faced by 36 PNTC Colleges cadets from batch 2011-2015 who completed their onboard training. Using a descriptive design, data were collected through a validated questionnaire distributed online, ensuring voluntary participation and compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012. Results showed that mentorship was the most encountered challenge, while working conditions and communication were moderately encountered. Despite these challenges, results show that the cadets exhibited strong personal motivation to pursue their bachelor’s degrees. The study concludes that PNTC Colleges’ cadets’ commitment to completing bachelor’s degrees requires both individual resilience or personal motivation, and a stronger institutional support, and proposes the integration of vessel exposure simulation and AI-driven mentorship to address gaps in onboard training.