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These are the results of a survey Nautilus UK carried out on more than 260 cadets, a quarter of all cadets in the UK and Ireland, comprising of 25 questions about their training and pay.
Key Findings:
Do you think cadets should be paid in line with the National Minimum Wage for the work they carry out onboard?
Yes:78% No:14% Don't know:8%
Do you think cadet's salaries should be linked to increases awarded to other officers employed by the company?
Yes:75% No:13% Don't know:12%
Does your company provide such a link?
Yes:9% No:52% Don't know:39%
Do you think that all cadets should earn leave at a rate of no less than 8 days per month including time at college? In addition, should 4 weeks paid annual leave be payable to all cadets?
Yes:73% No:20% Don't know:7%
Does your company provide anything similar?
Yes:21% No:46% Don't know:33%
Do you think that whilst at college cadets should be provided with with accomodation of a good standard at no charge?
Yes:84% No:12% Don't know:5%
Do you think that whilst attending college, cadets should be paid a daily subsistence allowance to cover food and incidental expenditure of at least ?25 per day?
Yes:79% No:18% Don't know:3%
Does your company provide anything similar?
Yes:17% No:69% Don't know:14%
Do you think that college and exam fees should be paid by the company?
Yes:98% No:1% Don't know:1%
Does your company provide anything similar?
Yes:87% No:7% Don't know:6%
Do you think that the company should reimburse all travel costs to and from college at the start and end of each college term and/or semester?
Yes:96% No:2% Don't know:2%
Do you think cadets should be allowed paid leave for a family problem or a medical problem?
Yes:96% No:3% Don't know:3%
Does your company provide anything similar?
Yes:35% No:13% Don't know:52%
How do you rate the quality of your training so far at college?
Good:49% Adequate:37% Poor:13%
How do you rate the quality of your training so far at sea?
Good:44% Adequate:36% Poor:14% N/a:6%
Are you optimistic about your future career and employment prospects?
Yes:75% No:18% Don't know:7%
General quotes from the article:
"the best paid cadets are recieving salaries more than twice that of the lowest paid."
"Many cadet said they wanted a standardised rate"
"I have to work over 10 hours a week to supplement my trainee allowance, as I wouldn't be able to survive otherwise."
"complained about the way in which some companies pay trainee's accommodation fees at college whilst other cadets have to meet these costs out of their salary."
"There were also complaints about companies being able to demand up to ?3,000 compensation if cadets decide to terminate their training, as well as complaints about late payments"
"Frequent complaints about the state of their accommodation and leisure facilities."
"Several cadets suggested the first phase of college training should be shorter, to give an early opportunity to go to sea. ' seatime is essential in deciding if a career at sea is right for you and therefore it would be better to have a few weeks experienceat sea before wasting months at college' one explained. Another added: 'I feel this would enable cadets to have a better understanding of all the basic subjects taught in classes.'"
"Some cadets complained that too much of their seatime had been spent on mundane tasks such as gangway watch or chipping and painting."
"A common complaint was a lack of understanding or support for training from foreign officers. Some cadets said they had been the only UK citizen onboard their ships, some said they had been ignored by the foreign officers, and others told of hoe English was not spoken in their workplace."
I highlighted the bit about earlier sea time as I found this to be particularly interesting, I personally don't share that view, as I'd like to have a good knowlege about the basics of what I'm doing; rather than standing around like a vegetable which may in turn put people off.
Just a few points from the article that may be of interest.
Your personal comments from current cadets will also be of great interest, as some threads have raised similar issues.
Key Findings:
Do you think cadets should be paid in line with the National Minimum Wage for the work they carry out onboard?
Yes:78% No:14% Don't know:8%
Do you think cadet's salaries should be linked to increases awarded to other officers employed by the company?
Yes:75% No:13% Don't know:12%
Does your company provide such a link?
Yes:9% No:52% Don't know:39%
Do you think that all cadets should earn leave at a rate of no less than 8 days per month including time at college? In addition, should 4 weeks paid annual leave be payable to all cadets?
Yes:73% No:20% Don't know:7%
Does your company provide anything similar?
Yes:21% No:46% Don't know:33%
Do you think that whilst at college cadets should be provided with with accomodation of a good standard at no charge?
Yes:84% No:12% Don't know:5%
Do you think that whilst attending college, cadets should be paid a daily subsistence allowance to cover food and incidental expenditure of at least ?25 per day?
Yes:79% No:18% Don't know:3%
Does your company provide anything similar?
Yes:17% No:69% Don't know:14%
Do you think that college and exam fees should be paid by the company?
Yes:98% No:1% Don't know:1%
Does your company provide anything similar?
Yes:87% No:7% Don't know:6%
Do you think that the company should reimburse all travel costs to and from college at the start and end of each college term and/or semester?
Yes:96% No:2% Don't know:2%
Do you think cadets should be allowed paid leave for a family problem or a medical problem?
Yes:96% No:3% Don't know:3%
Does your company provide anything similar?
Yes:35% No:13% Don't know:52%
How do you rate the quality of your training so far at college?
Good:49% Adequate:37% Poor:13%
How do you rate the quality of your training so far at sea?
Good:44% Adequate:36% Poor:14% N/a:6%
Are you optimistic about your future career and employment prospects?
Yes:75% No:18% Don't know:7%
General quotes from the article:
"the best paid cadets are recieving salaries more than twice that of the lowest paid."
"Many cadet said they wanted a standardised rate"
"I have to work over 10 hours a week to supplement my trainee allowance, as I wouldn't be able to survive otherwise."
"complained about the way in which some companies pay trainee's accommodation fees at college whilst other cadets have to meet these costs out of their salary."
"There were also complaints about companies being able to demand up to ?3,000 compensation if cadets decide to terminate their training, as well as complaints about late payments"
"Frequent complaints about the state of their accommodation and leisure facilities."
"Several cadets suggested the first phase of college training should be shorter, to give an early opportunity to go to sea. ' seatime is essential in deciding if a career at sea is right for you and therefore it would be better to have a few weeks experienceat sea before wasting months at college' one explained. Another added: 'I feel this would enable cadets to have a better understanding of all the basic subjects taught in classes.'"
"Some cadets complained that too much of their seatime had been spent on mundane tasks such as gangway watch or chipping and painting."
"A common complaint was a lack of understanding or support for training from foreign officers. Some cadets said they had been the only UK citizen onboard their ships, some said they had been ignored by the foreign officers, and others told of hoe English was not spoken in their workplace."
I highlighted the bit about earlier sea time as I found this to be particularly interesting, I personally don't share that view, as I'd like to have a good knowlege about the basics of what I'm doing; rather than standing around like a vegetable which may in turn put people off.
Just a few points from the article that may be of interest.
Your personal comments from current cadets will also be of great interest, as some threads have raised similar issues.
, and also getting the experience of life aboard ship. But then return for the same total length of college time (maybe more to make up for the focussed teaching and disruption just before going on the induction trip) and then return to the normal cadetship routine, leading to a longer overall cadetship. 
; but then I'm personally happy either way as I know I don't get sea sick badly and have researched this for some time.
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