This study examined the role of pre-boarding training in enhancing the mental health preparedness, safety awareness, and professional preparedness of Filipino seafarers who entered maritime service after March 2020. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed involving 390 purposively selected seafarers who had completed at least one sea contract and participated in a manning agency pre-boarding training program. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), while qualitative data from open-ended responses were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. Quantitative and qualitative findings were analyzed separately and integrated during interpretation to identify convergence, divergence, and complementarity. Results revealed very high levels of perceived effectiveness across all three dimensions, with safety awareness receiving the highest rating, followed by professional preparedness and mental health preparedness. No significant differences were observed across age, rank, department, or vessel type. Qualitative findings further showed that training enhanced stress management, resilience, communication, emergency preparedness, and adaptation to shipboard life. Overall, pre-boarding training serves as an important mechanism for strengthening seafarer readiness, well-being, safety, and professional performance in the post-pandemic maritime industry.

Keywords: pre-boarding training; seafarer mental health; safety awareness; professional preparedness; maritime training; post-pandemic seafaring