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Certificate III · national qualification

Certificate III in Marine Craft Construction

This is the trade qualification for people who build and repair boats, working mostly through an apprenticeship.

Compare 6 providers
Illustration of a person working as boat Builder
How long it takes
3 years
full time at TAFE NSW
How you can study
On the job
Main job
Boat Builder
$72,800 (estimate) median pay, In demand
Taught by
6 providers
Every state and territory

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate III in Marine Craft Construction asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in boats and how they are built
  • an eye for detail and accuracy
  • patience for careful measuring, shaping and fitting
  • a willingness to work with your hands in a workshop

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Boat Builder

    Boat builders construct, fit out and repair vessels in fibreglass, aluminium, timber and composite materials, and their work keeps commercial fleets and recreational craft seaworthy.

    What else you need

    Normally completed as an apprenticeship, so you need an employer in the marine craft industry. Check the provider and your training contract. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.

    Median pay$72,800 (estimate)

    In demand

  • Shipwright

    Shipwrights build, repair and refit boats, ships and marine structures in timber, composite, steel and aluminium.

    What else you need

    Normally completed as an apprenticeship, so you need an employer in the marine craft industry. Check the provider and your training contract. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.

    Median pay$80,600 (estimate)

    In demand

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

Where you can study this course

There are 6 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

The main topics covered in the Certificate III in Marine Craft Construction.

  • Building hulls and decks
  • Fibreglass, timber and metal work
  • Fitting out vessel interiors
  • Installing engine drive systems
  • Boat repair and refit
  • Boatyard and workshop operations

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.