The basic requirements

I have a poster on another forum who thinks all it takes to operate a ship is, see quote below:
[I]
“One can pull 3 Scandinavians from a bar (or 3 Greeks from an olive grove), and do the same in Manilla, and one has a crew together for a vessel. That easy. The environment is fairly fault tolerant, most of the trip.”[/I]

Unfortunately this is how much of the world see’s us do what we do.

In the position I am in, Port Engineer, I don’t see what everyone else has to endure to keep their jobs on the boats.
Could those sailing briefly list the regular training required and basic training required to get in the door. Please.

Week or two of classes and a MMC, TWIC etc needed for entry level in most cases. 3 or so years of experience to be an entry level engineer or mate plus a round or two of exams and all kinds of classes to satisfy STCW and the USCG, nevermind usually needing to become an AB or QMED in between entry level and licensed. Renewing and staying current is another animal. Other poster is a fool.