British vs. Irish Merchant Navy

[Shamrock]

Evening everyone,

I am in a bit of a dilemma at the moment. I have an offer of sponsorship from a UK Merchant Navy company to study at Fleetwood, but I have also applied to the National Maritime College of Ireland. Does anyone have any knowledge of any big difference between the two? I'm from Northern Ireland, so NMCI would be easier for going home at weekends, etc but is the training still up to scratch and are employability still the same?

Differences I already know of (or think I do):

• At NMCI, all of 2nd year is sea time
• You start NMCI with no sponsorship and have to pay the first year's fees
• Irish Government give training allowance of ?300 whilst at sea
• NMCI would be a BSc as opposed to an FdSc
• You apply to the NMCI over the Irish version of UCAS, so a place isn't guaranteed, however I already meet the entry requirements for my UK sponsorship

[HolyNougat]

I would go for the UK options.
I think that you only get the BSc as a top up when you go back for Chief Mates, and I also think that in Ireland Chief Mates is a year, whereas in the UK it is 3 months.. but I would check on that as it may have changed.
Your CoC will be of equivalent value at the end, but I think the biggest advantage is that if you go down the UK route you already have a sponsor and therefore a good possibility of a job at the end. With the Irish system you will need to find a sponsor after you start with all of the stress that goes with it.
IF you have a good solid offer from a UK company, then go for it.

[SBunting]

Ireland have one nautical college I believe. I'm also from Northern Ireland, and looked into this, however no one has replied at any institutes.

[Lewis]

I do go with NMCI. I have no personal experience only what I heard from others. Main reason for would be both take 3 years but irish option has more time at sea year and half instead of year. Also both take same time but in Irish option you leave with a degree instead of HNC or foundation degree.

[fantana]

Hello I went to the NMCI. The college is good and modern (8 years old I think?). You only need a years sea time not not a year and a half. Companies will come in in January for interviews. Everyone in my year got a placement. Since you live in Ireland I presume you will want a shore job in Ireland in the future. Ireland is small and theres not that many seafarers so everyone knows each other. If you don't go to the NMCI you will miss out on building a lot of contacts. Something to bear in mind.

[DianabolWizard]

Get a British Officer ticket. Fleetwood Nautical College is only across the water, sort of speak.

[Giorgos.Vr]

I have just found out about CIT myself but as it turns out we might be a tat late on that as the applications period seems to have ended in May 1st but there seems to be the possibility of mid-year intakes (somewhere in September it seems!) as well I have e-mailed them, I'll let you know as soon as I find out myself

[CharlieDelta]

If you need to apply through the CAO then that ship will almost definitely have sailed for this year.

[Giorgos.Vr]

If you need to apply through the CAO then that ship will almost definitely have sailed for this year.

that's what I'm reffering too indeed but in their web-site it mentions -last year's(?)- deadlines that also include a registration period in October but since the web-site hasn't been updated in a year or so I cannot be certain

here (but still not clear enough for me to be honest)

[Giorgos.Vr]

i'll just copy/paste the response I got...

too disappointed to do anything else right now anyway...

"We have had an over-supply of applicants from the CAO in the past and have never used a waiting list in August for entrants to the degree courses. We have only one intake per year."

best of luck to next January's candidates I suppose!

[chris]

I've been having a look at the Cork Institute for Technology and National Maritime College Ireland websites and I'm very impressed by the Marine Electrotechnology course.

http://www.nmci.ie/contentfiles/CIT%20brochures/CR%20805.pdf.pdf

http://courses.cit.ie/index.cfm/page/course/courseId/475

[Sammy Kidd]

I'm still in school but I live in ROI.

As I was born in England, I can join their Merchant Navy, but also, as I am oficially and Irish citizen too, I can also join the Irish Merchant Navy.

Which do people recommend?
UK vs Ireland

[Lewis]

Anyone in EU can do British cadetship, but their is a residence requirement so you might not qualify. Think you have to be resident here for 18 months for smart funding