Looking for advice on my next steps.

[Crawf121]

Hello all,

As you may be aware by my previous posts i have a offer from Carisbrooke shipping that i'm very happy with. However i also have an offer from University of Newcastle (one of the best) to continue my studies in Naval Architecture.

I am aware that ultimately the decision comes down to myself and i would i think like to do a cadet ship after my last year of studies and pursue it as a career. So this brings me to my next question, is it possible if i speak to the company and explain that i could deffer a year. Has anybody done/ heard of this?

Also i'm sure this has been discussed before, i have a long term girlfriend (3 years) and i don't think Carisbrooke even has on board email so this kind of sways me back into the idea of a career in Naval Architecture even though i think a cadet ship is what i want.

If anyone has advice or ideas please let me know,

Thanks in advance.

[noworries182]

Hi Crawf, in my opinion, i think you should definitely stay on at Uni and finish your degree or even start the degree if you have not started but it sounds like you only have one year left? the best thing you can do is phone (dont email) the company and speak to them about it and see what they say i think they would be more than happy to take you on next year, a cadet with a degree in naval architecture!!!! how many of them applicants do you think they get? not many and i can tell you that!

also who knows, you may go to sea and HATE IT! then what? you have no degree and not very many options! its not all they make it out to be, working at sea, being a cadet is the best time of your career after that, you have genuine responsibilities and very little time to go ashore etc, of course depending what type of ship you work on! im sure you'll be doing an engineers cadetship? and it is easier for them to move ashore but it will be far far far far easier with a degree and especially a degree in naval architecture

i did the uni route and i passed my officers exam (orals....no laughing!) and then stayed on at uni an extra year to finish my degree and my company still employed me in the best position I could of hoped for. So thats my opinion, but as we hear so often, opinions are like arseholes! Good luck in whatever you decide to do and i wish you all the success! =] i hope this has been helpful.

[noworries182]

p.s. i just saw that you are an aspiring deck cadet, my apologise if I caused any offence by claiming you aspire to be an engineer, I was actually judging you for that! glorified mechanics is what they are!

[GuinnessMan]

Bloody glorified bus drivers....

[HarmlessWeasel]

I've been practising...

[lightinthesea]

Hello Craf,

I am a deck cadet and I have a long term girlfriend. I had a lot of problem like yours problem before starting that department. I still remember,one day my fathers friend said that to me " your girlfriend or wife can abdicate you,your child can abdicate you,you can be deeply involved in debt but your job can not abdicate from you" dont forget it. And then think,apply and don't look back.

Respectfully..

[Crawf121]

I like that its still a 'have' gives me peace of mind that it is doable, thank you for the advice everyone.

[HolyNougat]

Probably easier to do the degree now and go to sea later. It would be more difficult doing it the other way around I would think.

[Lewis]

I imagine having a degree in naval architecture will help both at the interview and again at college. Not to mention it leaves more options open. Best to keep as many options open for as long as you can.