Some realism to a career at sea.

[Unregistered]

Hi,
I will be leaving college next year with some decent Alevels incl maths. I have been looking at following a career at sea and it looks promising!
However Im worried that the recruitment brochures and info directed to us are maybe being overly positive about the career (and the economic outlook that obviously impacts on such industries) .... It can almost at times suggest that youl complete a cadetship and instantly walk into a very nicely paid job and quickly waltz your way up to Master....this is a bit exagerrated I know but really what id like to know is:
Realistically if I gain cadetship and complete it well what are my chances of actually being offered a job? If so will it be on a contractual basis and what are the implications of that? Will I struggle to find work as 3/o deck? And how does the promotional system work?
I guess I am a bit of worrier especially about my future and really whilst a lot looks great about the MN i just wondered what the real picture was on the employment front. My grandad was a rating with Cunard on general freighters (i think!) many years ago so I understand some of the hardwork involved that they might not mention also!...(sorry
If my typing is poor I have done this on my phone due to home internet issues!)
Thanks in advance.

[size4riggerboots]

I think pretty much all jobs these days are on a contractual basis, but once you've done one contract (and proved that you're not a useless inbecile) then you'll be offered then next contract as a matter of course. I was worried about this when I qualified, but it took me two months (most of which was spent sitting about on my backside chilling out and partying in celebration of passing) to find a job. I lucked out too and got my dream job, the lesson of my story is be sure to work hard and impress people during your cadetship, and get your senior officer's email addresses!

[YoungMariner]

If i'm honest, If your a decent person, once you've completed the cadetship you'll have a job for life. Whether you a stay at sea or go ashore is upto you, but at the present state of the market there is definately work for qualified officers in the shipping companies offices, in the insurance clubs and at sea. To make Captain, is something to worry about later.

[Unregistered]

Thanks, so does a contract mean youl just be paid when your at work and then you have to wait for the next one or can you just go into another company on another contract straight away? Thanks AM, yeah il worry about choosing companies and interviews first ;-)! My gut feeling is to go for it, I dont want to wander into a degree that Im not that interested in and come out in a lot of debt in a tough job market! I guess a OOW ticket will find me a job and more importantly a job that i want to do (which my dad always says is worth a ?100000!) good advice I suppose!

[size4riggerboots]

Depends on the contract, some pay you only while you're working, others pay you less per month but pay you during your leave as well. You will probably find that in your contract there is a clause about not working for other people during your leave (moonlighting debate need not be resurrected here please people) but there's nowt to stop you from going straight from one job to another if you're not going back to the first company. Someone I know is technically still on leave from his old job and getting paid for it, and has just started a new job, so they're feeling pretty minted!

[Unregistered]

Ah right I see :-) well thats lucky for them!! Thanks very much

[Clanky]

You will find that when you go for interviews, most companies are actually pretty up front about the realities of working at sea, the cadetships are almost always heavily oversubscribed so they don't need to lure people in and it is in their interests to make sure that you are not going to get half way through your cadetship and jack it all in because it's not what you expected.

[tomkent45]

Totally agree with your point about brochures being overly positive, but as clanky says once you get to the interview stage they will be honest with you and you will get a better feel for it.

Good luck!

[Hatchorder]

Lets face it, have you ever seen a brochure that did not oversell the case? Does every car brochure tell you about recalls, electrical problems, etc. Every Brochure describes the good bits, we just need to provide the interpretations!

Bit like women really! Once they have eaten the wedding cake the brochure promises fail to appear and they keep on eating the cake! :-)

[GuinnessMan]

Bit like women really! Once they have eaten the wedding cake the brochure promises fail to appear and they keep on eating the cake! :-)

It's because women are like hurricanes, wild and wet when they arrive and take your car and house when they leave!

Where's that coat of mine...

[Unregistered]

Only a man could say that....

Seriously - can you hear yourselves. And who says the MN is an inclusive organisation. Don't see too many ladies in the queue for cadetships...mmm.....I wonder why....lol

[Hatchorder]

It's because women are like hurricanes, wild and wet when they arrive and take your car and house when they leave!

Where's that coat of mine...

*sniff, sniff* Can you smell Size4riggerboots perfume GuinessMan? I reckon she is stalking us.....

"TAXI !!!!"

[GuinnessMan]

*sniff, sniff* Can you smell Size4riggerboots perfume GuinessMan? I reckon she is stalking us.....

"TAXI !!!!"

It's ok, she doesn't know where I live...

[Ducki52]

It's ok, she doesn't know where I live...

Yet...

[GuinnessMan]

Yet...

It's ok, only one person has a rough idea of that and I've bribed him into silence (no bribing/bidding wars please)...