RFA Once qualified?

[north_sea_ninja]

Just a quick one, do the RFA recruit many officers who have done their cadetships and qualified with other companies within the commercial sector?
I've been looking for info about this, but all I've found is info on their cadet programmes. Any info gratefully received.

[The H]

Re: RFA Once qualified?

This would be a case by case scenario as all cadets complete BRNC Dartmouth before their cadetship. If it is something that you are interested in doing then either talk to someone in a local AFCO or PM your details to me and I can pass them on to my cadet liaison manager.

[north_sea_ninja]

Re: RFA Once qualified?

Many thanks for the swift reply.

Your offer is much appreciated, though to be honest I am pretty happy where I am at the moment, and as I'm towards the end of my final phase before orals prep I am fairly well set.

I am really looking at the next couple of years, in respect that I'm getting my DP ticket as a result of the ships I am on at the moment (coupled with scrimping the cash for the NI courses!), and would quite like to work for them for a year or so post orals. Is there a means forexperienced (a year or so say) qualified officers to join the RFA? I'm aware that AIB and BRNC are a prerequisite. How did you find these? I've tried looking on TOOTP, but it seems to be Donald ducked at the moment.

[The H]

Re: RFA Once qualified?

I know that there is an internal scheme whereby experienced ratings can do the Officer of the Watch cert., however, I am not sure of anything external. But again if you were considering it then the AFCO would be the best place to pop your head in.

TOOTP was hacked several weeks ago and seems not to have recovered, which is a shame as it does have some useful information on it.

The AIB is relatively easy (judging by some of the people accepted anyway), you do however, need to have a good background knowledge, and not only on the RFA, but also the RN/ RM and fleet air arm. The small amount of fitness involved is not worth worrying about.

The BRNC experience is something different, you will either love it or hate it, either way, it is only for 7 weeks and you will never have to experience it again, and as you have already done you cadetship then the food etc can only be better than what you are already used to.

[Malim Sahib]

Re: RFA Once qualified?

From what I'm told, the RFA are still recruiting qualified Officers, but only at 3/0 level. Of course if you've just finished your cadetship then that will be ideal.
From what I'm told you have to pass an AIB, but the 7 weeks of brainwashing at BRNC isn't necessarily a requirement.
These vacancies were apparently mentioned in the RFA Vacancies section within the RN website (before it was hacked).

[Steve]

Re: RFA Once qualified?

Qualified officers are still an important source of recruits for the RFA, and IIRC they typically take as many per year as they do cadets. Where they advertise vacancies though, I couldn't say. Contact the recruitment section.

Unfortunately all officer recruits AFAIK, including qualified officers, are sent to BRNC. Totally unnecessary, but unless they are desperate for 3/Os in the fleet, that's the way it will be.

Redundancies are expected in the RFA soon, but as they are already short of deck officers at all levels they may continue to recruit.

All qualified recruits come in as 3/O regardless of commercial (or naval?) experience as 2/O posts require additional RFA-specific qualifications (and I'd say also experience). I have known ex-commercial recruits to advance quite rapidly but promotion is generally slow in the RFA at present.

[tempest]

Re: RFA Once qualified?

Think this is what your looking for http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... 2010_A.pdf

Not much information but it shows you can go straight there. I'd be wary about asking the AFCO for too much information though, unless yours is much better than mine, when I went in for my recruitment test the person on front desk didn't know what the RFA was.