Becoming a deck officer WITHOUT sponsorship?

[teajay]

Greetings,

I've got a fairly simple problem, however it is one that doesn't have an obvious answer. I met a man last year whilst out on a piss-up, he's a deck cadet in training at warsash; told me you could get all your qualifications by yourself for a fairly reasonable price. Just wondering if anyone else can follow up on this? I've failed to get a sponsorship from any companies due to having a crap maths GCSE (yet I have an Alevel in maths..) so it looks like I'm left with one option!

Can anyone confirm this to be a legitimate way of getting into the merchant navy? some direction would be appreciated

Cheers

[Clanky]

You could possibly pay for yourself to sit the academic qualifications, but it wouldn’t be cheap and you would still need to get sea time, which companies who are only in it for the tonnage tax scheme would be reluctant to do, that rules out quite a few.

[alistairuk]

If you have the necessary a levels it may be worth considering the BSc at Plymouth university, as far as I know it's possible to start that without sponsorship, you would however still have to find a company willing to provide you with the sea time before you would be able to gain your CoC.

Have you looked at that pre-cadet ship course some colleges have decided to run? May boost your chances.

[endure]

Wouldn't it be easier (and cheaper) to take your maths GCSE again?

[Lewis]

The colleges will also have entry requirements not sure your solution would really help.

[Midge]

I fail to see why you need a Maths GCSE when you have a far superior qualification in the subject at A level! I would check with sponsors first and colleges as it seems daft to have to do a maths GCSE or go down the expensive and complicated journey of doing it yourself.
Yes, there are lots of students at Plymouth doing the degree that are not sponsored call and ask them how it works, as I know some do go and get sea time, but it's difficult. They also do the yachting version too.

[endure]

The colleges will also have entry requirements not sure your solution would really help.

I meant before he applies for sponsorship again. He could do it at home or at his local college

http://www.icslearn.co.uk/distance-learning-courses/gcse-mathematics/

[Pilot Chris]

We had one guy who started without a company, he worked hard and did some networking and picked up a sponsor but this was quite a few years ago now.

Although it's a risky strategy and would echo the above that it's worth doing what you need to do to get a sponsor first.

[EH75]

How crap is your maths GCSE? And what grade did you get at A level? What other subjects to you have qualifications in? Might give us a better idea of reasons for rejection because if your A level is half decent then it doesn't really make sense for them to reject you based on a GCSE. How many companies did you apply to? Did they say specifically it was to do with this GCSE or is that just your assumption? Seems strange every company would reject you based on this one qualification.

As has been mentioned the easiest option would be to re-take your maths GCSE/A-level and re-apply having obtained better grades, or possibly try out one of those pre cadetship courses. Or you could do neither and just improve your CV etc and keep re-applying, someone is bound to give you a shot at some point provided you meet the minimum requirements, and if you have a maths A level then it sounds like you do.

[Galley Slave]

Plymouth uni have students on their FD in Navigation and Maritime Science who aren't sponsored but who have managed to secure sea time with companies. Try ringing the uni and I'm sure they will give you advice

[Crawf121]

dont suppose you are from hamble are you?