Any Chief Mates around

[sailor.casanova]

Hey there, I'm Vijay from Mumbai, India. Done OOW (HNC) from South Tyneside, Which is the college one must go to for Chief Mates (HND) pls do advise.. thanks

[YoungMariner]

I did my OOW at Shields and then Chief Mates at Warsash. I personally felt that Warsash was far superior in terms of teaching. Shields used to have a good reputation, and have some very good lecturers, but they seem to have gone. Some of the better lecturers were part timers, which STC decided to get rid of.
Warsash on the other hand had two very dedicated people to teach the Nav and Stability SQA exams, and thanks to both of these gentlemen I passed first time. The college is a dedicated marine college, with limited distractions and generally a more mature and professional feel to it. STC is a few classrooms in a 6th form/beauty college, and pot luck as to whether you get a good instructor or not... And whether they actually have lecturers available for your classes.

This is my own personal opinion, having experienced both in recent years, and of course someone else might have other ideas.

[GuinnessMan]

Sailor Casanova?

[welshdecky]

I'm doing Chief Mates HND from September at STC.
I've not got my OOW ticket yet - my company are keeping me on so when I come back to get my Mates ticket, I don't have to do the full HND.
(Provided I go back to college within 5 years)

Like 'AncientMariner' says.... STC is a 6th form / hair and beauty college. At the moment it's a bit weird - they're throwing the Deck department all over the place - I've hardly been anywhere near the marine parts of the college this term! Having said that, the lecturers I've had are extremely enthusiastic and are passionate about what they're teaching. Hopefully that result will manifest it in me having passed both SQA exams last week and my Orals which are a fortnights time from now.

[GuinnessMan]

I'm doing Chief Mates HND from September at STC.
I've not got my OOW ticket yet - my company are keeping me on so when I come back to get my Mates ticket, I don't have to do the full HND.
(Provided I go back to college within 5 years)

Like 'AncientMariner' says.... STC is a 6th form / hair and beauty college. At the moment it's a bit weird - they're throwing the Deck department all over the place - I've hardly been anywhere near the marine parts of the college this term! Having said that, the lecturers I've had are extremely enthusiastic and are passionate about what they're teaching. Hopefully that result will manifest it in me having passed both SQA exams last week and my Orals which are a fortnights time from now.

You're doing what now? You're a deck cadet, how can you be doing your Chief Mates in September?

[YoungMariner]

welshdecky, thats a very unusual way of doing it. Can you go into some more detail, as some of other cadets may consider doing the same thing. I have to admit that i've never heard of anyone doing it that way but it does sound plausable.

[Steve]

I'm doing Chief Mates HND from September at STC.
I've not got my OOW ticket yet - my company are keeping me on so when I come back to get my Mates ticket, I don't have to do the full HND.
(Provided I go back to college within 5 years)

You have 7 years to pass Chief Mate's writtens and orals after completing HND/FD/PD/whatever. Presumably you're just completing the HND having already obtained HNC? It is not common practice to refer to it as "Chief Mate's HND".

HND provides underpinning knowledge (or whatever MCA call it) for Chief Mate's and Master's level. HNC is only good up to OOW.

[HolyNougat]

Warsash are OK, if you are being sponsored I would recommend them.
Welshdecky is referring to the exemptions for your chief mates that you do at OOW level. He has yet to learn about the horrors of SCOTVECS I suspect.
In any event, you need to be up to speed on your nav and stability, I found that even in warsash the outcome very much depended on how much effort you put in. The lectures on the 3 month course are just supposed to be a refresher.

[YoungMariner]

Warsash are OK, if you are being sponsored I would recommend them.
Welshdecky is referring to the exemptions for your chief mates that you do at OOW level. He has yet to learn about the horrors of SCOTVECS I suspect.
In any event, you need to be up to speed on your nav and stability, I found that even in warsash the outcome very much depended on how much effort you put in. The lectures on the 3 month course are just supposed to be a refresher.

SQA are probably the hardest exams i've ever done...

[HolyNougat]

Yes, they are tough, shame they are getting rid of them for the new FND group though... probably.

[Steve]

Yes, they are tough, shame they are getting rid of them for the new FND group though... probably.

The exemption from Mate's/Master's MCA writtens for Foundation Degrees and other things is being withdrawn. There is a very narrow window through which a few FD officers will slip.

[HolyNougat]

That is interesting. The right decision I feel, but also ridiculous that it was ever allowed to happen, a classic example of great communication between the education authorities and the MCA...

[perksy121]

What's the narrow window?

[Steve]

That is interesting. The right decision I feel, but also ridiculous that it was ever allowed to happen, a classic example of great communication between the education authorities and the MCA...

The way I heard it, the guy at the MCA who authorised the exemptions for FD no longer works there...

What's the narrow window?

Sometime this year to use the exemption. I haven't seen the full details yet, but it won't matter when you obtain the FD, there will not be 'grandfathering'.

[Hatchorder]

I did my OOW at Shields and then Chief Mates at Warsash. I personally felt that Warsash was far superior in terms of teaching. Shields used to have a good reputation, and have some very good lecturers, but they seem to have gone. Some of the better lecturers were part timers, which STC decided to get rid of.
Warsash on the other hand had two very dedicated people to teach the Nav and Stability SQA exams, and thanks to both of these gentlemen I passed first time. The college is a dedicated marine college, with limited distractions and generally a more mature and professional feel to it. STC is a few classrooms in a 6th form/beauty college, and pot luck as to whether you get a good instructor or not... And whether they actually have lecturers available for your classes.

This is my own personal opinion, having experienced both in recent years, and of course someone else might have other ideas.

It seems like they are having a massive push now to recruit full time lecturers:

http://www.first4marinejobs.com/job.php?tab=rec_jobs&id=380

They are looking for both Deck and Engine Lecturers, and multiples of them at that.I wonder if they had a big exodus or something or someone has kicked them up the arse? Seems odd to be advertising so many job sat one time. I don't know if this bodes well for the cadets just about to start as there may be a shortage of lecturers or even new ones learning the ropes themselves without guidance from other lecturers who are "time served".