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AMSA Cox Grade 3 / Exemption 38 marine training, NSW, QLD

Coxswain Grade 3

If you have a passion for driving boats, why not get paid for it? The marine industry needs competent crew to transport guests and cargo and to provide services, labour and contracts on the waterfront and on the coast.

There are several options to obtaining your Coxswain Grade 3 Certificate. Sea School International offers eligibility through either:

  • Completing our Coxswain Grade 3 - 3 units course
    OR
  • Completing our Coxswain Grade 3 - practical declaration course
    (if you have already obtained a recreational licence and 1 day of commercial sea service)

Please see information below regarding the Coxswain Grade 3 Certificate of Competency and Sea School International’s Coxswain Grade 3 courses.

*Please note that Coxswain Grade 3 is a replacement for Exemption 38.
For those who have completed the Exemption 38 course prior to 1 January 2023, your competence is still valid and you can continue to operate using your existing Exemption 38. You can also apply for a Coxswain Grade 3 Certificate of Competency with your Exemption 38 paperwork, but this is optional.

Student Course Information

Who is this Certificate for?

This qualification is suitable for people who work, or want to work as a Coxswain Grade 3 Near Coastal in the maritime industry and:

  • command, and operate the engines of a vessel <12 m long:
    • (a) carrying no more than 6 persons including crew and master unless the vessel is a tender mentioned in paragraph (d); and
    • (b) if the vessel is carrying passengers — only in daylight hours; and
    • (c) with propulsion power:
      • (i) for an inboard engine — <100 kW; or
      • (ii) for an outboard engine — <250 kW;
    • (d) if the vessel is a tender that has a parent vessel in the EEZ and the tender is capable of communicating with the parent vessel:
      • (i) within 3 n mile of the parent vessel for a person who satisfies eligibility requirement (c) or (e) under Coxswain Grade 3 NC in Schedule 3; and
      • (ii) within 1 n mile of the parent vessel for a person not mentioned in subparagraph (i); and
      • (iii) in line of sight of the parent vessel; and
    • (e) if the vessel is not mentioned in paragraph (d) — in any of the following:
      • (i) a marina;
      • (ii) a mooring area in sight and communication of a marina;
      • (iii) inland waters;
      • (iv) smooth waters;
      • (v) waters within 1 n mile of shore;
      • (vi) waters:
        • of an aquaculture lease approved by a State or Territory; or
        • approved by a State or Territory for daily transit to and from an aquaculture lease; or
        • within 1 n mile of a State or Territory approved aquaculture lease;
      • (vii) waters within 250 m of a structure fixed to the shore.
  • command and operate the engines of a vessel < 12 m long:
    • that is used only for towing people; and
    • with propulsion power for an inboard or outboard engine of < 500 kW; and
    • in waters approved as a water ski area by a State or Territory authority; and
    • in daylight hours only.

Why choose us?

Our mission is to provide exceptional maritime training that creates real employment outcomes for our students.

  • We train on the water
    Our campuses are conveniently located close to waterways so you can walk out of the classroom and onto a vessel for practical, on-board training.
  • You can study full-time or part-time
    You have the choice to study your course all in one go or do it in blocks of time so it’s convenient for whenever you can get the time off work. Talk to us and we’ll make a plan that works for you.
  • Pay as you go with flexible payment plans
    You can pay your course fees in full or by instalments over the term of your course duration.
  • We have a Job Register
    When you graduate you’ll be automatically added to our Job Register and emailed when positions become vacant in the industry, providing you opportunities for part-time and full-time work.
  • Trainers are experienced seafarers
    Our professional maritime trainers and assessors are qualified and experienced seafarers aboard a variety of commercial vessels. Our students are guaranteed a high level of education that combines traditional classroom teaching with practical, on-board training.
  • Under new management since 2013
    Since taking over Sea School, we’ve had over 400 graduates successfully complete our courses. We are an AMSA compliant, quality-driven RTO that offers you the best training and career pathways.

Course Fees and Duration

All courses are intense and of short duration to provide time and cost benefits to the students.

Coxswain Grade 3 - 3 units course

  • $990
  • CoC lodgement is an additional fee
  • Course duration is 2 days of face-to-face training and assessment with mandatory pre-study and assessment to be conducted online
  • The course runs from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm each day
  • As there is a pre-study component as part of this course, you must enrol at least a week prior to the course commencement date.
  • At the commencement of the week of your course date, if you have not completed the pre-study components, you will be contacted to organise rescheduling your course to a later date to allow you more time to complete the mandatory pre-study.

Coxswain Grade 3 - Practical Declaration course

  • $590
  • CoC lodgement is an additional fee
  • Course duration is 1 day of face-to-face training and assessment
  • The course runs from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm each day
  • You must already have your recreational licence and 1 day of commercial sea service

Fee Payment

Course fees are due to be paid in full on course commencement. You will be invoiced upon enrolment.

You can pay by credit card, cash or by electronic funds transfer. Instalment payment plans are available upon application.

How to Apply

Please complete our online commercial course enrolment form. After receiving your enrolment, we will then email you a booking confirmation.

Please review the Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) skill requirements for our courses. We will issue you with a LLN test that must be completed prior to course commencement. This test will reveal if you require any extra support through your training and a training plan will be drawn up for you. Please feel free to contact us if you feel you may need extra support.

If you need to cancel your course due to an emergency or work, be assured your course enrolment can be transferred to another date, course or person within a 12 month period or, you can apply for a refund in extenuating circumstances.

As there is a pre-study component as part of the Coxswain Grade 3 - 3 units course, you must enrol at least a week prior to the course commencement date. At the commencement of the week of your course date, if you have not completed the pre-study components, you will be contacted to organise rescheduling your course to a later date to allow you more time to complete the mandatory pre-study.

What to Bring

Identification

Australian Drivers Licence, current passport or birth certificate, Unique Student Identifier (USI)

 
RPL (if applying):

Academic transcripts of previous qualifications, CV, letters from employers

 
Electronic Device:

Electronic device capable of doing assessments online e.g. phone, tablet or laptop

 
Clothing:

Work or casual clothes for both theory and practical days

 
Footwear:

Deck shoes, joggers, sandshoes or work boots (no thongs)

 

Certification

For students pursuing the Coxswain Grade 3 - 3 units course

To receive the statement of attainment you must demonstrate competency in all units and meet all course requirements.

If you don’t achieve competency in some of the units, Sea School’s Competency Not Achieved Assessment Policy allows you to return to attend specified classes to re-sit training and/or assessments at no cost within a 12 month period. Should you not complete the whole course then you will receive a statement of attainment for the units you’ve completed.

For students pursuing the Coxswain Grade 3 - practical declaration course

This course is non-accredited and upon successful completion you will receive a completed practical declaration that is required as part of a suite of other documentation for your Certificate of Competency.

Certificate of Competency (CoC) Application and Eligibility.

Applying for a Coxswain Grade 3 NC Certificate of Competency is optional. However, if you do not obtain a Certificate of Competency, you will need to keep evidence of your eligibility for Coxswain Grade 3 certificate on board any vessel of which you carry out duties of a Coxswain Grade 3.

To be eligible for a Coxswain Grade 3 Certificate of Competency you must:

  • Have completed the Coxswain Grade 3 - 3 units course
    OR
    have completed Coxswain Grade 3 - practical declaration course and have a recreational licence and evidence of 1 day of commercial sea service
  • hold a current Certificate of Medical Fitness Domestic Seafarers that shows the you meet the Standards for the medical examination of domestic seafarers; and
  • have a current first aid certificate equivalent to at least HLTAID011 Provide first aid (unless operating only in a marina or mooring area with alternative first aid arrangements); and
  • be at least 16 years old.

Sea service

Sea service is only required if you wish to apply for Coxswain Grade 3 Certificate of Competency through the 'Coxswain Grade 3 - Practical declaration course' pathway. This requires 1 day (8 hours) of qualifying sea service on a commercial vessel and is best evidenced on an AMSA 771 form

Course Structure

The Coxswain Grade 3 - 3 units course is made up of 3 units of competency:

  • MARI003
    Comply with regulations to ensure safe operation of a vessel up to 12 metres
  • MARK007
    Handle a vessel up to 12 metres
  • MARN008
    Apply seamanship skills aboard a vessel up to 12 metres

The Coxswain Grade 3 - Practical declaration course is a day course that involves training and assessment of the course content and completes the AMSA Coxswain Grade 3 declaration (AMSA form 1882)

All of our assessments are conducted through online software in class.

Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

  • Credit Transfers (CT) are granted if you have successfully completed a course that contains the same units as the Sea School course you've enrolled in. You may apply for a CT by providing evidence in the form of a transcript and if CT is granted, you may be exempted from some or all of the coursework.
  • Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is based on your work history, sea time and previous studies. You may apply for RPL if you can provide sufficient evidence with a minimum currency of 5 years. An assessor will make a judgement on the evidence provided and if RPL is granted, you may be exempted from some or all of the coursework. A competency conversation interview may be required as part of your portfolio of evidence.

Terms and Conditions

Signing your enrolment form acknowledges your understanding of your rights, obligations and acceptance of Sea School’s terms and conditions. Sea School course costs, timetable, course content, policies and procedures are subject to change without notice. You are required to read the detailed terms and conditions information on our website.

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Just wanted to thank you and your staff at Sea School. I have over 20 years experience in the teaching profession and work closely with Macquarie Uni & UTS and I can certainly say that your methods of teaching coxswain ticket were spot on.

Craig Mitchell, Managing Director, Sydney Harbour Bookings