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I was hoping someone would say that
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Former TH cadet with experience of cruise ships, buoy tenders, research ships and oil tankers -
I'm doing the HNC at Glasgow and I've been told to apply for SAAS funding prior to phase 3 whether eligible or not. Not entirely sure why and almost certainly won't receive anything seeing as I have student debts dating back to university.Comment
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A nice one-liner, but it doesn't address the historical reality. More companies used to offer cadets relatively good pay, but the changes in the nature of the UK merchant shipping industry have done away with that.Originally posted by chris View PostComment
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Pardon? Most companies used to offer good pay? Ermm when was this? I started my cadetship 25 years ago and was on 6k/annum then again sponsorship only and tax free.....even BP and Shell at that time only paid 6k BUT covered accom and gave some monies for books and things so it was all "off the books" rather than a wage.....that was a nice little earner for those cadets
You really are going back in time maybe the late 60's? ;-)Trust me I'm a Chief.
Views expressed by me are mine and mine alone.
Yes I work for the big blue canoe company.
No I do not report things from here to them as they are quite able to come and read this stuff for themselves.
Twitter:- @DeeChiefComment
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Chiefy, you illustrate my point very nicely. ?6k in 1988 is about ?14k today. RFA cadet salaries have merely kept pace with inflation.Originally posted by Chiefy View PostComment
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Not really its more like 11k. which isn't far off what cadets get today. You have to ask why would the shipping company pay cadets more. They have to attract a certain number of cadets which they do at the rates they pay. Why pay more? In fact it would be irresponsible to pay more companies that pay above market rate would go out of business leaving the cadets worse off. This doesn't apply to the RFA who cant go out of business as their owner has access to tax money, can borrow at low rates and if worst comes to worst can print money. Remember prices or in this case wages aren't neutral numbers they're trying to tell you something. If you try to change prices you distort this information leading to poor allocation of resources.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPy-QKXofQs (Sums it up better than I could)Comment
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A useful website. Steve's figures check out too.
Theres an old BP shipping recruitment poster somewhere at STC, I'm going to have to go and find it and check the old 80s cadet wages now.
Shipping companies dropping cadet wages while the RFA could keep them at their old level sounds about right to me though. What were wages like in 1996, the earliest point I could have done a cadetship?Former TH cadet with experience of cruise ships, buoy tenders, research ships and oil tankersComment
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That calculator doesn't use a recognised inflation standard such as Rpi or Cpi. Has it's own basket of goods hence the discrepancy in our numbers. Mines are based on Cpi. Using the Cpi 6k in 1988 equals 11465.86 in 2012.
Edit: bank of englands figures use RpiComment
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but you are all missing the point it is not a salary, it is a training grant / funding.
You can argue the rights and wrong of this but that is what it is. I do think cadets should be classed as employed and paid as employed, it is a form of weasely words, especially given that from next year the tax free limit is 10k......the main issue is history, in the days of yore "most" cadets where 16-18 having just done o-levels or a-levels, where as now the age profile is higher and as such so are your costs what with expensive tastes in things like food, wine and women (or significant others if we are going to be all PC). Unfortunately shipping is just about the most conservative industry ever, I mean even the MCA has yet to catch up with Motor Engines rather than steam :-)
With luck and effort, things like the Union Youth Forum can help push this forward and maybe gain some followers and supports and get things redressed a bit, but I dont hold out an aweful lot of hope.....however for most of you it is YOUR forum, get involved (some of us are too old
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Trust me I'm a Chief.
Views expressed by me are mine and mine alone.
Yes I work for the big blue canoe company.
No I do not report things from here to them as they are quite able to come and read this stuff for themselves.
Twitter:- @DeeChiefComment
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RPI is traditionally used for salary negotiations and CPI is a New Labour sponsored newcomer. RPI has more relevance to the topic IMO. (Though I may be biased
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If you want to rail against government profligacy, do go ahead, but I'm sure you can find many examples with much greater validity than RFA cadet salaries.Comment
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Is this what you're talking about? http://www.youthforum.org/ I'm not sure I see what it's about, seem to have to be a member of some participating youth organisation, and I can't even find a list of them...Originally posted by Chiefy View PostWith luck and effort, things like the Union Youth Forum can help push this forward and maybe gain some followers and supports and get things redressed a bit, but I dont hold out an aweful lot of hope.....however for most of you it is YOUR forum, get involved (some of us are too old )Comment
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Out if interest does the RFA pay accommodation costs and food too at college? As all the companies seem to have different rates some that increase with each year its difficult to compare them as its the whole package that needs to be looked at, start including what expenses can be claimed, and look at which maybe taxable NI etc, and you need a spread sheet!Comment
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Finally, think I was starting to get a bit fed up repeating that....Originally posted by Chiefy View PostI 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
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Just to add my 2p worth...
As having just accepted my cadetship offer, the finalized training allowance I will receive far exceeds the funding I received when doing my undergrad degree.
Per year I received a loan of approximately ?4500. With this it was expected you paid rent, food, transport, all education related items (books etc).
Even with the lowest paid cadetship of around ?600 a month, that still equates to ?7200 p/a. In my eyes, a shed load more than any normal student financing option.
It isn't all about the pay, it's the training you are there for. The education fees are paid for, the allowance allows you to live well, with a bit spare for beer tokens.
Also, there will be a time when you go away on sea phase and have no accommodation to pay for, amassing a fair bit of wonga!
So for those thinking the lowest paid training allowances are a bit 'stingy', consider your situation if you had to apply for student finance;
1: it's a ballache.
2: you will be poor and scraping the barrel.
3: most students need a part time job to keep them going.
At the end of it, when you're qualified and employed, you will be earning a fair bit more, and have no student debt!!!!Comment
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