Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

[onara]

Hi everyone, I'm trying to decide between applying for Engineer Officer and ETO cadetship. At the moment it's too tough to split them based on things like my interests, skills and what I think would suit me.

Maybe it'll help if I can take more into consideration. Could anyone here compare, with some confidence, the relative supply and demand for each of these jobs? Or are both qualifications so in demand now that I don't need to think about that?

Also I'm wondering if there is a big difference in the quality of training and qualifications. I checked the Trinity House website and looked at the foundation degree programmes, for some reason they send engineers to do 131 weeks of training but 109 weeks for electrotechnical. The engineers get 12 more weeks at sea and 10 more weeks of modules. I haven't decided I'm going for Trinity House, but their website was where I could find more about the course content for each cadetship.

Finally, it might be subject to opinion and your own experience, but if there is some consensus on what is the best route to becoming 1. an Engineer Officer and 2. an ETO, please could you tell me. I'm getting the impression that WMA has the best reputation for Engineer Officers. For ETO's I don't know.

Thanks!

[Squareleg28]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

The only place you can train as an "full/specialist" ETO is at STC at the moment. The ETO course at WMA is essentially the marine engineering course with a couple of add ons.

There are a couple of chaps at STC on here training to be ETOs - they may have more background on the course/jobs etc

What to do all depends on your interests and to an extent where you see yourself working. It is hard/ not possible to predict supply and demand for most jobs, even harder for shipping!

Some more info @

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1317&p=12691&hilit=electro#p1 2691

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=806&p=7504&hilit=electro#p750 4

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=764&p=7104#p7104

[onara]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

If I could choose right now based on things like my skills and interests, then I would do that. As it is though, I think either one would be great. I'll keep thinking about it. Thanks for the advice, I'll have a look at those links

[chris]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

The new fd ETO course would suit you if you're looking to work on cruise ships or survey vessels. If not I'd go the engineering with electrics add on, for a more rounded training. It would make you more employable on the rest of the ships out there. You get to do all the engineering plus some electrics.

Anyone know if they still offer the engineering + electrics add on at Warsash?

Employment wise its not so easy to become a Chief Engineer the STC ETO route due to the question of OOW status, personally I'm happy to stop at the senior ETO / Chief Electrician level and have a less stressful life - One of the reasons I left the world of investments.

In my opinion, you would make more money with the Engineering route, I'm guessing Chiefs earn a fair amount. On the ETO side, the best paid jobs in the Nautilus telegraph tend to be offshore contracts, ROV and DP. About 200 per day. I've seen DP deck officers jobs advertised at ?250/day.

I'm sure some people will come along and disagree...

[onara]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

I prefer that option, the mix of mainly engineering with a bit of electrics. If it's still an option. For the work involved and the prospects.

I'll need to find out which sponsors could put me on that course then..

[Squareleg28]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

There is also ops in the gas/oil world (I think) BP use STC for ETO?

Chris are most of the guys on your course sponsored by cruise companies? (yourself excepted)

[chris]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

strangely not, only 5 of the 22 are directly employed by cruise lines.

we don't have any cadets from BP in our class.

of the 22, 4 are from UAE with oil companies, 5 are carnival, 3 are trinity house, 2 are MEF (scholarship like TH), 4 are SSTG but not cruise line sponsors (1 of the guys is going on an antartic research ship), and 4 from CMT sponsors Stena (not the ferries), Acergy (offshore) and Northern Marine (tankers I think). Acergy seem a good firm.

There also seems to be a possibility of doing ETO hnd at STC. There is at least 1 cadet who seems to think he is doing it, although officially its been scrapped...

[Beef1992]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

you do electrics on the FD Marine eng , and there is an option of an additonal few weeks to get the ETO CERT once you have finished your cadetship . This way you will get the best of both worlds good luck.

[onara]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

Yeah I'm looking at the Foundation Degree..

you do electrics on the FD Marine eng , and there is an option of an additonal few weeks to get the ETO CERT once you have finished your cadetship . This way you will get the best of both worlds good luck.

Do you mean.. at the start I just have to choose engineering and later, when I get near to the end, I can decide to do the added bit of ETO training?

[Beef1992]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

Not sure on the details but a call too stc could sort it for you

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[chris]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

just to clarify, the ETO add on is not as in depth as the full course, which is why the cruise lines with their sophisticated onboard systems send their cadets on the fd eto course.

[onara]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

Yeah, I see.. chris, about your friend who's going on the Antarctic Research Vessel, do you know what sort of chance I would have of being able to work on that kind of ship? If I make the right choices along the way.

That sounds really interesting. But I think it could be more important for me to keep my options open.

[chris]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

seemed a completely random allocation

trinity house also claim to send cadets on an antarctic research vessel, there must be a few

from the sounds of it, engine +electrics add on is for you

[Squareleg28]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

Linked to this subject - for you chaps on the ETO course has the college/your company talked about the "new" CoC that are possibly coming (2012?)

[chris]

Re: Engineer vs ETO - a few questions

very little.
I just received my training record book and it says that if the IMO doesn't adopt the new CoC, then there will be an MCA version which they will hope the IMO will adopt later on.