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  • #1

    Qualifications

    Hi all,

    My name is Joe and I'm new to the forum (this is my first post!) and I have a query about qualifications that are required to become a deck cadet. I aspire to work on either cruise, container ships or tankers. I am currently in the last phase of my GCSE's. These are the options I took and my predicted grades, or the grades I have already attained from the June/July module last year:

    Biology -A
    Business Studies - A*
    Chemistry - A
    English Language - A*
    English Literature - A/B
    Geography - A
    History - A
    ICT - A*
    Maths - B
    Physics - A*

    The A levels I have chosen to do are: English Language; Government and Politics; History; and Geography. It is not too late to change the options if there are any better qualifications that are suited to becoming a Deck Cadet. Any help is appreciated - I've always loved the sea and working in this environment would be my dream job. I'm just so confused over what I need!

    Many Thanks!
    Joe
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Hi Joe, welcome to the forum. I'm also Joe, starting with Maersk in September on the FD course. You have a pretty impressive set of predicted grades there so work hard to get them! As for A-Levels I'm assuming you want to go FD route like myself. Its very worthwhile considering Maths for definate and possibly Physics aswell at A-Level as it will give companies piece of mind that you can cope with the course which is highly mathematic. I may even be correct in saying that some companies require Maths at A-Level for FD cadets? Don't quote me on that though

    Comment

    • #3
      Some a-levels that are science and maths, rather than humanities based might help? Humanities are fun and easy to study, but unless you want to be a teacher in one of them, do something sensible with your options.

      Or as you seem to have good enough grades already to take the HND route, you could rev off going to college and go to work/volunteer/travel etc and get a bit of life experience and working experience and teamwork experience as opposed to a clutch of useless A levels.

      Oh, and welcome to the forum

      P.S Don't provoke the Guinessman.
      "Crazy like wild wolves threatened by fire, send them all to the bottom of the sea."

      Comment

      • #4
        Originally posted by Ducki52 View Post
        Some a-levels that are science and maths, rather than humanities based might help? Humanities are fun and easy to study, but unless you want to be a teacher in one of them, do something sensible with your options.

        Or as you seem to have good enough grades already to take the HND route, you could rev off going to college and go to work/volunteer/travel etc and get a bit of life experience and working experience and teamwork experience as opposed to a clutch of useless A levels.

        Oh, and welcome to the forum

        P.S Don't provoke the Guinessman.
        I wouldn't say A-levels are useless. They are a great qualification to have and allow you to go FD route which has many benefiets and also open up the oppurtunity of university Study which can be an option later in life if you don't want to go to sea forever. as for humanities they are great fun but easy? NO WAY I took History at A-Level and I've never worked harder in my entire life to get the grade I got. Fair enough the knowledge doesn't really apply to anything other than History itself but skills such as essay writing and the fact that you have proven you can study at a high level are invaluable. Jteed I would strongly suggest you take maths and Physics as they will be extremley useful during your cadetship and tbh they go hand in hand so what you learn in one will often transfer to the other (something I found very handy when I took them both for A-level) If you feel comfortable enough (and your grades suggest that you would be) you could take 5 As-levels and drop two in your second year to get 3 full a-levels. I did that and was very grateful for the choice that it gave me as all my mates were forced to drop their lowest grade. I was able to pick ones that I not only did well in but enjoyed at the same time

        Comment

        • #5
          I'm not going to get embroiled in a debate as to whether Humanities subjects are easy or not and I'm sure they are very fascinating topics, but to be honest, the A-Levels that you are doing will not help you get a cadet placement as they have no practical value towards this sort of career.

          If you're a cadet recruiter and you've got two candidates, both with A-Levels. If one's A-Levels are in Maths, Physics and Chemistry whilst the other's is in English Language, Government & Politics, History and Geography, who would you hire on to be a deck cadet? Would I want someone who will be able to do the cargo calculations with ease or the one who can tell me how a glacier is formed?

          I'm sorry to sound negative, but as a career the MN is becoming highly popular and the companies are receiving a massive number of applications and so the companies now have a massive choice in who they take. The days of them just trying to get arses on seats are gone, so I would follow the above suggestions and do Maths and Physics if you can.
          I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.....

          All posts here represent my own opinion and not that of my employer.

          Comment

          • #6
            Although many companies have a requirement of 120 UCAS points to do the FD others are absolutely right in mentioning Maths and Physics. Stability is Maths and Physics, Nav, both Celestial and Terrestrial are all Maths and Chartwork is all Trig and maths. Tides are trig.....

            So, if I were a recruiter if I had two people sat in front of me and one was predicted E in Maths, Physics and English and the other was predicted A in English, Politics and History I would take the first candidate every day of the week and twice on a Sunday.

            Just adding food for thought!

            Ian
            "Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk." - Sir Francis Chichester.
            "Waves are not measured in feet or inches, they are measured in increments of fear." - Buzzy Trent

            "Careers at Sea" Ambassador - Experience of General Cargo, Combo ships, Tanker, Product Carrier, Gas Carrier, Ro-Ro, Reefer Container, Anchor Handlers.

            Comment

            • #7
              Bugga! spend 30 minutes on a phone call to your sister and Guinnessman jumps in and reads your mind!

              Sorry!

              Ian
              "Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk." - Sir Francis Chichester.
              "Waves are not measured in feet or inches, they are measured in increments of fear." - Buzzy Trent

              "Careers at Sea" Ambassador - Experience of General Cargo, Combo ships, Tanker, Product Carrier, Gas Carrier, Ro-Ro, Reefer Container, Anchor Handlers.

              Comment

              • #8
                Could always go for the middle ground. Does your school/college offer A level economics (most tend to say maths or subjecs with a maths component)?
                What's an E, a fail? (Scottish don't know much about your weird English way of doing things )
                Or better still email some companies and ask them. They might even remember you when you apply in a year or two, which could only help as they will realize it's not just a spur of the moment idea you've had.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by Lewis View Post
                  .... What's an E, a fail?.....
                  A, B, C, D & E are a pass at A level.

                  E is worth 40 UCAS points, D is 60 and so on!
                  "Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk." - Sir Francis Chichester.
                  "Waves are not measured in feet or inches, they are measured in increments of fear." - Buzzy Trent

                  "Careers at Sea" Ambassador - Experience of General Cargo, Combo ships, Tanker, Product Carrier, Gas Carrier, Ro-Ro, Reefer Container, Anchor Handlers.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Must be the only system in the world where a D is a pass.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Lewis View Post
                      Must be the only system in the world where a D is a pass.
                      Was the same when I did my A levels in 1981! So never changed....
                      "Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really good sailor to do it drunk." - Sir Francis Chichester.
                      "Waves are not measured in feet or inches, they are measured in increments of fear." - Buzzy Trent

                      "Careers at Sea" Ambassador - Experience of General Cargo, Combo ships, Tanker, Product Carrier, Gas Carrier, Ro-Ro, Reefer Container, Anchor Handlers.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Up here for highers and advanced highers a D means you failed but only just. At least it used to when I took mine in 2002.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Well all this has certainly given me some food for thought! Presumably maths with mechanics is favourable over statistics? Physics is obviously a consideration. The reason I chose the A levels I did was because I was told before that as long as the required UCAS points are attained it doesn't really matter, so I went for the ones I thought I could get the best grades in. But having read this forum it's probably best to stand out from the crowd with some A Levels that are relevant to the course. It's not too late to change them, so I might see what I can do. How about the HND route if all else fails?

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Lewis View Post
                            Does your school/college offer A level economics (most tend to say maths or subjecs with a maths component)?.
                            Again, what is the use of studying economics if you're wanting to be a deck officer?
                            I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.....

                            All posts here represent my own opinion and not that of my employer.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              The HND isn't an option 'if all else fails'.

                              You would find that most FD cadets (at least at Warsash) would prefer to be on the HND than the FD.
                              "Crazy like wild wolves threatened by fire, send them all to the bottom of the sea."

                              Comment

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