Scottish Maritime Academy

01/06/2026

⚓ Another great year of supporting the RNLI ⚓

Pictured are Graeme, our Curriculum Manager and experienced RNLI crew member, alongside Olivia from Symposium café, proudly holding this year’s RNLI fundraising certificate following collections from the donation box at our Centre. 👏

Thanks to the generosity of staff, students and visitors, including the continued collaboration between the College and Café team, a total of £258 has been raised to support the RNLI’s lifesaving work around our coastline. 🚤

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed… now let’s see if we can beat the total in 2027! ⚓

North East Scotland College SYMPOSIUM coffee house RNLI

06/05/2026

⚓ 1 Day To Go! ⚓

The countdown is nearly over - we’re looking forward to meeting everyone at the Scottish Skipper Expo 2026 tomorrow at P&J Live, Aberdeen.

📍 Come and see the us at Stand D7 near the main entrance.

If you’re attending the Expo, make sure to stop by and say hello and to discuss maritime career options, for both new entrants and career progression courses. North East Scotland College Skipper Expos Peterhead Port Authority Scottish Fishermen's Federation Developing the Young Workforce North East

23/04/2026

⚓ MCA Oral Exam Preparation - Starting 1st June ⚓

Preparing for your MCA Oral Exam?

Our 2-week MCA Oral Exam Preparation course in-person in Peterhead is designed to build confidence, sharpen your knowledge, and get you ready for exam success. Many candidates credit this course with making the difference between passing and re-sitting.

📅 Starts: Monday 1st June 2026
📍 Scottish Maritime Academy, Peterhead
💷 £1,100

Ideal for those working towards:
⚓ Deck Officer (Fishing) Class 1 & 2
🚢 OOW Unlimited
🧭 Master 200 / 500 (Near Coastal)

A focused, practical course delivered by experienced maritime professionals. Places are limited. Click here to book and find out more:

https://www.nescol.ac.uk/courses/mca-oral-exam-preparation/

North East Scotland College

20/04/2026

⚓ We’ll be at the Scottish Skipper Expo 2026 ⚓

We’re pleased to confirm that we will be exhibiting at the Scottish Skipper Expo 2026 next month.

📍 P&J Live, Aberdeen
📅 7–8 May 2026
📌 Stand D7 – near the main entrance

The Expo is one of the UK’s largest commercial fishing events, bringing together vessel owners, skippers, crew and suppliers from across the industry.

If you’re attending, come and speak to our team about:
⚓ Fishing qualifications and training
🚢 Maritime career pathways
🎓 Deck Officer Cadetships

Always a key date in the industry calendar, and we look forward to seeing you there. More info can be found here: https://theskipper.ie/scottish-skipper-expo/

North East Scotland College Skipper Expos Scottish Fishermen's Federation Peterhead Port Authority

07/04/2026

Great to see Richard's story being shared by the college. Stories like this highlight exactly what a career at sea can offer - opportunity, progression, and a genuinely rewarding pathway in the maritime industry.

We’re continuing to recruit for the next generation of Deck Officer Cadets for our August 2026 intake. If you’re thinking about a career at sea, now is the time to get started. Clyde Marine Training Stream Marine Careers Ship Safe Training Group Ltd

Find out more and apply here: https://www.nescol.ac.uk/courses/deck-officer-cadet-programme/

17/03/2026

⚓ “Being at sea was amazing! I loved every minute of being out there.” ⚓

A great story from one of our cadets here at the Scottish Maritime Academy. After working as a welder in Canada, Jeremy moved to Peterhead and made the move into a career at sea through the Deck Officer Cadetship, sponsored by Clyde Marine Training. He’s now thriving and learning the ropes for life in the Merchant Navy.

It’s always good to see cadets enjoying those early trips at sea - and even better when they’re still smiling afterwards.

If you’re thinking about a career at sea, now is the time to get started. Applications for our August 2026 intake are currently open and you can apply here: https://www.nescol.ac.uk/courses/deck-officer-cadet-programme/

12/03/2026

⚓ NESCol Open Day – Meet the Scottish Maritime Academy ⚓

We will be taking part in the upcoming NESCol Open Day this Saturday 14th March, with our team based at the Fraserburgh Campus for the event.

While our Peterhead facility will not be open on this occasion, SMA staff will be available at Fraserburgh - including our Ship Simulator facility - to speak with anyone interested in maritime careers and training opportunities.

This is a great chance to learn more about pathways into the industry, including:

🚢 Deck Officer Cadetships
⚓ Fishing Deck Officer Class 1 & 2 qualifications
🌊 Trainee Deckhand and Skills for Work Schools links

Whether you're considering a career at sea or simply want to explore your options, our team will be happy to answer questions and talk through the opportunities available.

We look forward to welcoming you!

📣 Our Open Day is this Saturday! 📣

If you're thinking about studying at NESCol in 2026, don’t miss the chance to explore course options, look around our fantastic facilities and discover what life at NESCol is all about.

📍 Aberdeen City | Aberdeen Altens | Fraserburgh
🗓 Saturday 14 March from 10am - 2pm.

👉 Free and open to all. Register here: https://loom.ly/nYINd8I

27/02/2026

🛟 Man Overboard Awareness Training FREE in Aberdeen 🛟

We’re pleased to help Seafish promote upcoming FREE Man Overboard Awareness Training Days taking place locally in Aberdeen at 3t Global Training Services, Dyce - a facility we regularly work with for a range of maritime training.

📍 Aberdeen – 3t Dyce
📅 17th March 2026
📅 18th March 2026
📅 6th May 2026

MOB incidents remain one of the most serious risks at sea. These sessions are designed to reinforce prevention, response and recovery procedures - helping improve safety standards across the industry.

🔎 Requirements:
✔️ Age16+
✔️ Must have completed Sea Survival training

🚗 Travel costs reimbursed
📩 Email [email protected] to secure your place

Spaces are limited - we strongly encourage skippers and crew to take advantage of this important opportunity. North East Scotland College

18/02/2026

⚓ Class Visit to Peterhead Port ⚓

We had a great day out with our Trainee Deckhand students visiting Peterhead Port Authority to see the offshore support vessel GAOTH NA MARA up close, which is a purpose-built multi-purpose offshore support / supply vessel, providing a great example of a modern working maritime asset in action.

Getting onboard a working vessel gives our learners invaluable real-world context - from vessel layout and equipment to operational procedures and safety practices.

A big thank you to the team at Intermara Marine for facilitating the visit and to all those who made the experience possible. North East Scotland College

05/02/2026

Planning your next step at sea? We’re now advertising our long-duration courses for 2026 in Peterhead, here are the dates:

🚢 Class 1 Deck Officer (Fishing) "Skipper Ticket"
🗓️ 12 weeks - Starts 13th April 2026

🚢 Class 2 Deck Officer (Fishing) "Mates Ticket"
🗓️ 12 weeks - Starts 31st August 2026 / 6th January 2027

⚓ Deck Officer Cadetship (Unlimited)
🗓️ 3-year programme - Starts 24th August 2026

⚓ Trainee Deckhand
🗓️ 12 weeks - Starts 13th April 2026 / 7th September 2026

All courses are delivered at Scottish Maritime Academy, Peterhead, supporting progression from entry-level training right through to senior deck officer certification..

👉 Early planning is strongly recommended - places are limited. To make direct enquiries contact [email protected] or phone 01779 476204. Website link available for all course bookings: www.smaritime.co.uk North East Scotland College