Merchant Navy Job VS Shore Job

[Unregistered]

So I've found myself in a bit of a predicament.....

After years of looking at shore based jobs that would offer me opportunities to progress from within and develop my career and skills with no luck/offers I began researching the MN and applied this year after reading about the opportunities, benefits, career progression etc. I secured three interviews with shipping companies, one I have already attended and have been offered a place. I have two interviews at the end of this coming week, but while all of this has been going on I have been approached by a head hunter at a large oil company offering me a job with very good benefits/pay and they have also offered to pay for me to do an engineering degree while I work.

This is definitely sods law and extremely frustrating! I am torn between the two jobs and I was hoping that people who moved from Sea to shore based work could give me an opinion on which offered the better lifestyle/opportunities etc. I am already in full time work and a qualified technician at the ripe old age of 25.

I realize only I can make this decision but some advice and opinions from you experienced lot would be very much appreciated.

[DMB]

Depends who your cadetship is with, and if they will offer you a contract at the end of it?

Assuming you're going down the Engineering path?

[Clanky]

Only you can make the decision, but the offer you have seems to be too good to turn down unless you think that you would not be happy in that job.

[Polaris]

The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the responses guys, I appreciate it.

Yes the cadetship is in engineering and the first one I've been offered is with a large training company. I'm unsure whether any of them offer employment at the end of the training though.

Both jobs are one's that I've never done before so I really don't know whether I will like either of them If i'm completely honest..... I know that only I will be able to make the decision but I am torn between the two roles so people's opinions/views on my predicament will hopefully allow me to make an informed decision.

An option I was looking at was taking the shore based job and if I found that in a year it wasn't for me then I could reapply to shipping companies? Does anyone know if turning down an offer and then reapplying a year or so later is frowned upon with the various companies?

Which side isn't greener Polaris? :P

[Sarah]

I had a similar predicament, make sure you've got this job offer in writing before you go declining cadetships.

It took me a while to decide which to persue but the more i read i into the MN the more excited i get at the thought. I already have the engineering degree, even then its real competative for on shore jobs.
Also, a degree in engineering is pretty damn hard so be prepared to put a load of work in. I guess you need to think about whether your suited to a more hands on job or a one where you sit in an office all day.