The better path would be for maritime students to get their degree at school and on training ships. Then once graduated they could apply to work as unlicensed on the types of boats and ships they want to work on. That way they experience and learn what they actually need to know. Cadet shipping on a box boat doesn’t help as much if they want to work tankers.
Working for slave wages on commercial ships does them no good. Especially when the type of ship they cadet shipped on isn’t the type of ship they want to work on. The only beneficiary of cadet shipping are the companies who get cheap labor.
I’ve seen it plenty where I worked. You think I’d let a cadet prance around the bridge or on deck like some silver spoon golden child? Naw. They get shitty jobs until I think they deserve less shitty jobs. If a cadet can’t clean a toilet do you think I should teach them how to load a tanker full of jet fuel instead?