I know that any Captain worth his salt will ask,ยจ How many years experience do you have at this?"
When you say, 3 years at XYZ University, they will walk down the line and ask the next man.
Yes, book learning is good, and often needed as a requirement to advance, yet there are so many XYZ and HappyTimes Asea! schools that gladly take any ones monies when all one really needed was the knowledge and a test.
In the USA the USCG gives those courses and tests.
In London they use a different system, same school.
Future seagoing jobs for U.S. mariners may not be on U.S.-flagged ships. American-trained mariners are being sought after by international companies to operate foreign-flagged vessels, according to Julie A. Nelson, deputy maritime administrator of the U.S. Department of Commerce.[29] For example, Shell International and Shipping Company Ltd. began recruiting U.S. seafarers to crew its growing fleet of tankers in 2008.[30] In 2007 Overseas Shipholding Group and the Maritime Administration agreed to allow American maritime academy cadets to train aboard OSG's international flag vessels.[31]
and then there is:
The Amendments require that seafarers be provided with "familiarization training" and "basic safety training" which includes basic fire fighting, elementary first aid, personal survival techniques, and personal safety and social responsibility. This training is intended to ensure that seafarers are aware of the hazards of working on a vessel and can respond appropriately in an emergency.
STCW, as amended, will require all training and assessment activities to be "continuously monitored through a quality standards system to ensure achievement of defined objectives, including those concerning the qualifications and experience of instructors and assessors." The 1995 amendments require those responsible for instruction and assessment of the competence of seafarers to be qualified for the type and level of training or assessment involved. Persons performing these roles are expected to have received guidance in instructional techniques and assessment methods.
Any ship is can go to any port if it is International Flag Ship.
Many ships can go to many ports with any number of Country Flags.
Be safe, good journeys are made.