Applying as an engineering graduate

[RUBIKSCUBE]

Hi All,

This is my first post on the forum, but I've been a keen observer over the last few months. I was looking for some insight from anyone else who has applied as a graduate. I have a degree in civil engineering that I got in 2009. I was under the impression that it was only really mechanical engineering that would make you eligible to apply as a graduate but to my pleasant surprise I received my Letter of Initial Assessment which stated I qualified for the graduate scheme for studying for a CoC.

Now I'm left with a few questions. I'm finding it difficult to decipher what, if any, courses I could apply for exemption in. I've forwarded my LIA to Clyde Marine Training to support my application, so should I be waiting to hear from them before I find out what courses I would need to sit and which I can apply for exemption?

Secondly, what sort of timescale would my training involve if I were to be accepted for cadetship? I've heard it can be as little as 15 months, but does that depend on how relevant your degree is to the training material?

I'm also wondering if I'll have a hard time convincing CMT that I'm serious about applying for cadetship, since my degree is not related to any nautical science and I have no seafaring experience. To be honest, I've only considered this as a serious career option in the last year or so, but I know I definitely want to do it. When I went to uni I wasn't sure what I wanted to do for my career, but I chose civil engineering because there's lots of analytical problem solving which always appealed to me. But a couple of years working in a very unfulfilling job has caused me to look for pastures new.

Sorry for the essay, I'm prone to rambling! I realise a lot of this may be uncertain and I'll just have to wait and see how my application goes, but I'd be interested in hearing experiences form anyone else who applied as a graduate.

Cheers!

[Faust]

Welcome to the forum!

As well as CMT you should forward your LIA to Carnival UK. Carnival UK have a fast track scheme designed for people with degrees who wish to progress into Marine Engineering.

More information on the Carnival UK scheme can be found here:

http://www.oceanopportunities.com/cadet/studying/

[noworries182]

Hi!

have you also tried contacting the MCA and asking them? you should phone them though as they don't seem to reply to emails. I done the BSc route as an under graduate in 2007 and there was a man who was 52 doing his cadetship who used to be a civil engineer weirdly enough, unfortunately he didn't finish but not because he didn't want to it was because of his wifes business collapsing, he was with SSTG. you may also want to enquire as too what various companies if any other apart from carnival offer these schemes and choose the company depending on which type of ships you want to work on, i can imagine there is more than one company, maybe try shell. i dont think you will have any issue with convincing any companies or training companies to take you on, they will more than likely be chasing you to join. good luck and don't hesitate to ask any more questions on here, all you will get is friendly and hopefully advice =]

[Clanky]

Apply to as many companies as you can.

Ultimately the companies will contact the colleges / mca to give you the official line on what exactly you need to do, but the more info you go armed with to interviews the better. You are definitely doing the right thing by sending your LIA off with your applications as this shows that you have taken the first step on your own without expecting your hand to be held through the process.

Good luck.

[RUBIKSCUBE]

Thanks folks!

I actually applied to Carnival as I saw from their website that they offered a graduate training scheme. I got a disappointing response - after completing the application and including my LIA, I received a short e-mail back from them stating they no longer offered a course for graduate engineering! That was pretty infuriating, especially when it's still being advertised on their website. Maybe it's just for the current recruitment cycle and it will be brought back in; I'll try to get more details from them.

Anyway there's still lots of companies out there I need to contact, so that'll be my focus over the coming weeks.

[orbicim]

I have talked to SSTG and CMT and they told me they don't offer a fast track programme. I applied to all of the companies myself that are on the CMT site and all of them said they don't offer a fast track programme and that I would have to go through the cadetship. I have a degree with honours in Electrical Power Engineering and want to do the ETO route.
I have seen a few jobs online for mechanical fast tracks but they were out of date.

I am not sure if they exist anymore, I have spoken to well over 40 companies and they don't do it for the ETOs, simple reason is that they can get trained officers without training graduates.

My experience anyway, good luck to your findings

[Bulman]

i would of thought the main reason they dont do a ETO fast track as the ETO course that is separate is generally a new thing, only this year have ETO's got OOW, no way would they have a fast track course set up for this if the original course is only new it's self?

I think there are two people from the carnival intake doing fast track both in Engineering, there is a guy on my course that has the same qualifications as one of them but is still doing the FD ETO, not a fast track.