Eto

[stephenlyall]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I am a fully qualified electrician to SVQ level 3. I am just about to start a course at lews castle college, stornoway: Access to merchant navy deck and engineer officer. I was wondering if I could apply straight away with my qualification as an electrcian to get sponsorship from a shipping company to become an ETO. I am not sure if I am wasting my time with the course in Stornoway as I am now 23 years old. I did not sit highers at school so this is why I went for the course in stornoway to give myself a better CV/experience. Any help or advice would be much appriciated.

Many Thanks
Stevie

[Rootsea]

Stevie, your best bet would probably be to get in touch with the shipping companies directly. I know that Carnival, Trinity House and the RFA all take ETO Cadets so may be worth giving them a ring.

Good luck

[Bulman]

Eto

I'd just apply, first get in touch with the collages and check if your qualifications are high enough to get onto the fd course as that is all that's offered for ETOs. I believe warsash, south Tyneside and fleetwood all now offer the fd eto course.

I was in a similar position to you I had GCSE's and a nvq/vrq but still got in, when I got a interview the company just asked me to check that I would be able to get onto the college course as soon as they confirmed I had no problems. If you also find out before it makes you look better!


Being a qualified electrician you may be able to fast track, but that's only offered to engineers and I dunno if companies offer it any more but no harm in checking! (although I'd hate to be a engineer not ETO haha)

[chris]

The marine college of Ireland are also doing an ETO course but its not a sponsored option as far as I know. The Shields course is pretty maths heavy in phase 3, lots of control theory, so if maths isnt your strong point try and apply to sponsor who are using Warsash as the course doesnt go into so much control theory dept (on paper at least). Having said that the maths teaching at Shields was very good, I think the minority of students in the 2010 group had maths A Level and we all passed the control modules!

[stephenlyall]

Thanks a lot for the help. I will follow up on it today and see where I will go from there. If all else fails then maybe its good to be seen to be doing this course atleast, between intakes.
Thanks again,
Stevie

[Lewis]

Your prob best applying while you do the course companies aren't quick at getting back to applicants.