Helmsman
Also called helm, steersman, helmswoman
Helmsmen are members of the crew on the highest rank of the operational level on an inland vessel. They perform a variety of duties concerned with the operation and upkeep of deck department areas, the engine and other equipment, mooring and unmooring, as well as the steering of the ship as the main task.
What you'd do
Ships' deck officers and pilots · ILO- Commanding and navigating ship or similar vessel at sea or on inland waterways
- Controlling and participating in deck and bridge-watch activities
- Navigating vessels into and out of ports and through channels, straits and other waters where special knowledge is required
- Ensuring safe loading and unloading of cargo and observance of safety regulations and procedures by crew and passengers
- Performing technical supervision of maintenance and repair of ship to ensure compliance with specifications and regulations
- Applying knowledge of principles and practices relating to ship’s operation and navigation in order to identify and solve problems arising in the course of their work
- Ordering ship’s stores and recruiting crew as required and maintaining record of operations
- Transmitting and receiving routine and emergency information with shore stations and other ships
- Mostly outdoors
- A mix of sitting and standing
- Lots of contact with people
- Good freedom to decide
- Often more than 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Some repetitive tasks
Will there be jobs?
Average prospectsA typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
About averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,600 a month (Bulgaria) to €6,500 (Denmark), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among technicians and associate professionals in the EU, women earn 16% less per hour than men. Technicians and associate professionals · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Usually post-secondary or a short degreePost-secondary training or a short degree in transport services is the usual route.
819 institutions in the EU offer services bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
Very littleAI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.
Average task score 0.29 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 8 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for ships' deck officers and pilots. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).