"So what is it that you do exactly?"

I get this question a lot and to be honest, I'm not really sure myself, so I thought I would try and figure it our for all of us. I'm sure I'll screw up some of this, so for those that know better, fell free to correct me! I'll focus on the Engine Department since that is were I work.
My official title is Engine Cadet. Essentially, my primary job on here is to learn, and as I gain experience, to help the other members of the Engine Department. The structure if the engine department is divided between the licenced and the unlicensed personnel. The licenced engineers all sat for and passed their US Coast Guard Licence exam. To qualify to take the test, you have to attend an academy or you can qualify if you have sailed for a certain amount of time as an unlicensed crewman. The licence states that you have a certain understanding of your profession and with it can be employed as such.
That's what I'm working towards.
The unlicensed guys have to go through a certain amount of training as well and have their own ranking system.
On my ship, there are 2 DEU's or Deck/Engine Utilities who split there time between the Deck and Engine departments, 2 QMEDS or Qualified Members of the Engine Department, a Pumpman who is a member of the engine department, but works extensively with the deck department since I am on a tanker, a second engineer, a first engineer, a chief engineer and myself.
The cadet position is a nonessential position since it is not guaranteed that there will be a cadet on board at all times. All of the other spots are permanent and with few exceptions, someone will always be filling those positions.
cadets typically come from a very broad background, from people who have been working with tools since they could walk, to those who have picked up a screw driver for the first time out here. Most fall somewhere in the middle of course and the jobs at first typically involve getting tools or holding flashlights, until one proves that they are probably not going to end up destroying something, or on fire, or both.
The academy I attend requires the engineering cadets to spend 300 days at sea in addition to the classes taken on campus. this of course is still squeezed into 4 years, so summer break is a whim at most. to keep us busy, the school has assigned sea projects to keep us looking into the different aspects of the trade and engine room which can be quite tedious to say the least. With no one to keep track of the progress completed except for the person completing it, it is the number one cause (after calculus and physics plebe year) for people being academical setback or dis enrolled. It really isn't difficult, it is just long, tedious and can be overwhelming if looked at as a whole.

Well that either clears thing up or makes it even more confusing.

I hope everyone is doing well!