Regret and worry

[Jord]

Hi all. Looking for some good advice here. I'm a phase 5 engine cadet, recently completed my sea time. I'm 20 years old and I'm on the HND course. During me cadet ship especially my sea phases, I've came to realise that working at sea is defiantly not for me at all. I'm tied in for two years after my cadet ship to work as a qualified officer, I'm willing to work hard and get through these two years. However, I really don't want to work at sea after this, at all. I've read other posts where people have said its easier for engineers to go shore side etc etc. however I'm struggling to know what sort of shore side jobs I could get after i do these two years? Does anyone have any examples with just an HND and CoC or perhaps know of people who have been in similar situation as this?

im getting very worried and feel like I've wasted 3.5 years of my life doing this cadet ship. Any help and guidance would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[Martyboy]

I know of someone who done the HND in marine engineering but actually worked in a dry dock, so Dry dock/ship yard type stuff is a big plus Could also look at working on Tugs etc, near coastal boats that you go home each night?

[Bulman]

I'm sure you could get a job in a factory too, especially being a officer as it's a 'management role' although your qualification is marine engineering I can't see it being hard transferring to a technician job at a plant!

Although it's probably too early at your age, lecturers are in short supply. At my apprentice college three of about 10 staff were all ex marine engineers, they were probably the better teachers too.

[Martyboy]

Could be a fireman?? I know we aren't trained to anywhere near high standards, but more training than your average punter .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[Clanky]

What sector of the industry are you working in?

I was in a very similar position to yourself when I qualified, hated ships and anything to do with them. Eventually changed jobs to one with equal time leave and to a company without quite the same amount of bullsh1t as P&O Cruises where I did my cadetship and started loving the job again.

Failing that there are jobs ashore for newly qualified engineers, but don't expect to be getting the same money as you would at sea.

Have a think about doing an Open University degree during your two years as this should widen your options a little, whether you want to leave the shipping industry entirely or move to a shore based position within a shipping company.

Good luck and feel free to drop me a PM if you want to discuss anything.

[Jord]

Thanks for the advice. I'm working on container ships. I'm not sure what to do if I'm completely honest, I have no idea where to look or even if I want to stay in the maritime sector of things. What are these newly qualified jobs ashore for engineers?

[Clanky]

Things like planned maintenance engineers and even assistant superintendents, check out the agencies, they sometimes advertise for jobs like these.

If you are planning on staying for the 2 years then you won't be far off from having the sea time to do your second engineer's CoC, might be worth giving another sector of the industry a try until you can do your second's ticket, as that would open up a few more opportunities for you.

[Randomist]

It's a good idea to stay for the 2 years qualified. The cadetship isn't the job and it changes when you're certified. You may find you like it from then on. Even if you don't it's not over. Think laterally, you'll be trained in a very broad spectrum and able to more jobs than your average Uni graduate. You're also young enough to retrain in something else if you wanted. I know a guy who's quit this area of the industry and is learning to fly commercial airliners now. Possibilities are endless

[YoungMariner]

I will agree, life does change once you are qualified. You can also choose where you want to work and some ships offer a much more comfortable lifestyle and less time away. It can be the difference between 4 months on a ship where your the only brit and eating rice watching 10 year old video tapes and working as an officer with some respect on 2 weeks on / 2 weeks off with a nice meal and colleagues that you can relate and talk to about things.
Also, don't be scared of the bond. Training bonds are actually very difficult to enforce, if you get a trip or two in as officer and decide to leave, there isn't much to do. I won't say this for certain but I believe that the legal stance on repayment of training bonds is pretty much they aren't worth the paper they are written on (although companies will send some scary letters).
Anyway, do what makes you happy, but definitely finish the cadetship and at least give a trip as officer ago to build up some experience.

That being said, there is an E/OOW on here who has gone on to be a very successful technical superintendent after deciding to make the move ashore.

[laura]

Definitely, agree with a lot of what has been said, finish your cadetship and then make a move from there, although only you can decide what to do. If it really isn?t for you, there will be a way to get of the contract. Life does improve once you become an officer, it?s not quite night and day, but there is a noticeable difference even if you are sailing as the only Brit onboard.

I have no idea where you?re based but there is definitely more ads for junior engineers shore side than for deckies, the oil and gas side also seem to be always looking for folk and I?ve met more than a few folk who are now working for companies servicing the oil and gas industry (not necessarily on rigs/ platforms although these jobs exist) but as ROV pilots, working for companies that engineer subsea structures/ piping and so on... they seem to be well paid and entry positions exist where the practical training that an EOOW ticket provides is appreciated more so than a university degree.

Ship yard positions are something that do turn up again and again where I live, it wouldn?t hurt if you were genuinely interested to put a CV together or ask for work experience at a local? yard.

I realise that being at sea/ a cadetship isn?t suited to everyone, but hopefully you can take the positives from your experience and channel them into something new.