u/Cool-Ad-8923

Hey everyone,

I'm graduating this June with a BS in Computer Science in the Philippines, and I want to break into the cruise industry as an entry-level Onboard IT Support / Assistant (looking at Royal Caribbean / similar).

I'm completely fine with the reality of ship life (long hours, 7-day weeks)—I just want the high-intensity experience to kickstart my career.

How does my profile stack up for an entry-level callback via PH manning agencies?

• Education: BS Computer Science (June 2026).
• Certifications: Google IT Support, PhilNITS IT Passport, Cisco NetAcad Network Tech, CCNA (In Progress).
• Experience: Tech Internship at a Provincial Police Office (Tier 1/2 support, deployment, troubleshooting for 40+ users).
• Projects/Home Lab: Packet Tracer simulations, Samba file-sharing server setup, and currently building a physical pfSense home lab (VLANs, firewall rules, captive portal).

My questions for shipboard IT crew:

1. Is a fresh grad background like this enough to get a foot in the door through PH agencies?
2. What specific systems or hardware (POS, ticketing, etc.) should I focus on adding to my pfSense/Linux home lab to be immediately useful onboard?
3. Any specific agencies or pathways in Manila you recommend looking into?

Appreciate the honest reality checks. Thanks!