Starting Cadetship All over again?! Advice please

[Kadet]

Hello there guys,

pretty new here but finding the forum very helpful and informative so far.

I will try and keep this short if I can....

I began a Cadetship (Deck) Foundation degree with a large British Oil Company back in 2006, after many interviews etc.. I think I picked them as they seemed to look after me well, and offered best sponsorship pay... a tad silly but I was a young 18yr old at the time. I completed phase 1 at Warsash, passed January exams and went off to sea on Trip 1 on a big tanker for 3.5 months. Sadly the trip was not what I was ready for, I loved being at sea, and the work was great, but the solitary confinement, lack of people I could relate to onboard etc, all got to me and I did not want to go back. I was a bit of a bohemian socialite hippy type who wanted to see the world etc as just too young I guess..

Anyway, since I have gone and got a degree in the UK, and began working in the private yachting industry, doing Yachtmaster offshore exams, and working on smaller yachts doing deliveries, races etc. I've tarvelled the world with an events company working as an events manager for a large sailing events company. But apart from working my way up in Superyachts (not something I am too keen on) there is only so much one can do it seems, especially when I wanting more of a stable career path. Now I keep coming back to wanting to go back to sea and being an officer in the Merchant Navy. I am now 26, and have begun working on CV/Personal statements for applying to companies.. but this time, Cruise companies. I know myself better now, I know I love the sea and want to be a seafarer, but I am social people person too, who likes interaction with others and be able to enjoy my down time outside of a small cabin with my laptop. I therefore believe Cruises may be a good way to go.. if they would have me. My girlfriend is also a qualified nurse with a few years experience in the NHS now, and has been offered a few interviews for working on cruises so the dream (unsure how realistic) is that we could one day possibly be working and earning onboard the same ship... anyway that's the dream.

I guess my questions are:
Do you think it likely with a good CV and statement a company would take me on as a cadet at 26?
Should I mention that I began a cadetship but only lasted 1 trip on a tanker?
Can that completion of phase 1 (WDF001/WDF001/WDF003/WDF006) with good results in exams do me any favours/fast track options?

Any other advice or opinions on the matter much appreciated...
I am most likely going to apply to some firms anyway and see what happens.. I believe Jan 15 is too close now, so would be going for Sept next year.

Many Thanks in advance

[alistairuk]

Hi and welcome,

I guess my questions are:
Do you think it likely with a good CV and statement a company would take me on as a cadet at 26?

26 is not particularly old, since the introduction of the foundation degree the average age of cadets has increased and at 26 you're unlikely to be the oldest on the course.

Should I mention that I began a cadetship but only lasted 1 trip on a tanker?

You will have to mention that you have previously commenced a cadetship in the UK as this will be a major factor on their decision to accept you or not. As you have already commenced a cadetship it is likely that you have already had funding claimed on your behalf and any company that takes you on is unlikely to be able to claim the funding for the initial part of your cadetship.

If you fail to advise them from the start and they make you an offer, they'll find out as soon as they try and get funding for you and probably drop you instantly for lying to them.

Can that completion of phase 1 (WDF001/WDF001/WDF003/WDF006) with good results in exams do me any favours/fast track options?

No idea although most likely the contents of the units has changed and the organisation of the course. The results may also be too long ago to be counted by the College / MCA. You are best to contact WMA and ask.

[Inland Pirate]

The course units have definitely changed, I can get a list of them in a bit for you.

[MrStealth]

WDF012, WDF016 and WDF015 are the new unit ID's.

I concur with Alistar - at 26 you're certainly not going to be the oldest on your course. I sat next to two RFA cadets today - both of which are aged over 40.

You will certainly need to declare you've already been through "the system" once before. It may affect your eligibility for SMaRT funding.

[AbdulRafiq_14]

Better to have a life doing something that you love doing instead doing something that will bring you money but leave you miserable. Good luck buddy!

[Kadet]

Thank for the feedback thus far guys. Appreciated. It's a tough call, but I will apply to comapanies either way and see. I love working at sea, and enjoy the work hard play hard (during leave) ethic. Would be tricky with the girlfriend though, yet determined to make it work.

Some applications have asked about previous sea time, therefore I am writing my experience in MN thus far, but those who haven't asked, I have left it out for now, not lying, but I feel it easier to demonstrate why I left my cadetship and why I want I want to return much better in person compared to on paper.

I am from Guernsey in the Channel Islands, so aware that some agencies/companies really don't want much to do with me, as do not believe SMART funding is available to us Channel Islanders. However, I am pretty sure I never went through SMART funding in the first place, and was simply paid for by BP. If that is the case, would companies still be able to claim funding for me? Cheers.

[Dannyboy14]

The girlfriend thing should be fine. If she understands the career that is.

Where abouts in Guernsey? I lived over there for 6 months this year

[LeeClarke83]

you may find it difficult, not to dishearten you but Smart funding my be your biggest obstacle as you are given a individual pin number which is not transferable. Sometimes it can be done but exceptional circumstances only.

[Kadet]

Hi, I live on West Coast of Guernsey by Vazon.. West is best haha, nah its a great wee place to live in the Summer months at least.

I intend to contact BP and ask f they used SMART funding for me if they paid for my cadetship independently.. Hopefully that's what he did, so I may still
be entitled to funding.

Cheers.

[Dannyboy14]

Ah I know vazon, I used to live by fermain

[Kadet]

Hi Guys, just thought I would get back in touch after now hearing from BP and finding out a bit more about SmART funding.

When I commenced the cadetship in 2007, I've been informed SmART funding was available to channel islanders however now it is not.
That said, BP informed me they only keep records now for 7 years so they could not confirm whether I received funding or not, but only
presumed I did. I'm now applying to various companies to see how far I get with it.

I have been invited to a assessment day with Carnival
as well as a positive chat on the phone with Viking and a positive email from Maersk after submitting my application. That said, I still need
to jump through some hoops in order to be eligible for funding, i.e I need proof that I am living in England 12 months leading up to starting
college. This is somewhat difficult but hopefully doable.

If only there was a way I could find out if I have received SmART funding in the past.
I phoned the MCA, and they too said they only had records from last 7 years so were not sure.

[endure]

7 years is a standard time to get rid of old accounts in the UK. It's the time that the law requires a company to keep them for so I suspect that you're free to apply to apply again without any ghosts coming back to haunt you. Good luck!

[Kadet]

What I wanted to hear! Many thanks, just got to get around the barrier of living in the Channel Islands. Many Thanks.