A few let downs but an offer!! MEF

[Kadet]

Hi Guys,

so after a few let downs with Maersk, Carnival, and Viking and nothing back from Princess, I had an interview with Chiltern Maritime or more specially MEF and have been offered a deck cadetship HND Sept Warsash intake. I'm sure some threads exist like this but they all seem fairly out dated so if there are any MEF cadets out there or people with some experience with the organisation, and types of ships currently in service etc... I'm all ears, like most things I've heard some horror stories but also some great trips out there an varied ships. Lots to sort before September, and lots to think about and some money to make before then to help cover my rent and general adult life living expenses...

also i'd like to say a big thanks to everyone on this thread especially the admins, and salty sea dogs out there helping the newbies..
Means a lot and a great source of information.

Cheers.

[Galley Slave]

Congratulations

[Midge]

Great, well done!
I think that the MEF cadets get the opportunity to do more sea time, I recall there being something about it somewhere, either their website or here.
Chiltern manage TH cadets too and I think they go on the same ships. Tankers, Cruise, various other types.
From my experiences from posts I've read over the past few years there are good ships with not so good crews, there are crappy ships with brilliant crews, and sometimes you get the two bad aspects together and sometimes the two good bits together and that seems to be the same with almost all of the sponsors.

[Snowy]

Yeah, MEF being a foundation don't have specific ships, so you're likely to get some variety in your sea time which is only a good thing.

[endure]

Well done

[Clanky]

Congratulations.

[bw5991]

Congrats on the offer. I'm currently in phase 3, going into phase 4 soon with MEF.

They don't own any ships as such, so it's down to what SSTG/Chiltern pick for you. It's totally varied what we were on, I was on a dredger and a bunker tanker for my phase 2, there are other boys who were with princess cruises for example. This phase I should be offshore, anchor handling/supply. It's down to your luck to be honest. I had trouble getting away at the start so it involved a good few weeks of not doing anything which is hard going.

It would be good if you could save up some money for before starting, you can get by on cadet wages, but it's always good to have some extra.

Edit: Here is the MEF website if you haven't found it already.. http://www.meftraining.org/

[old woman of the sea]

Congratulations, Kadet, and well done!