Hi :) Can I have a bit of help please?

[H2O]

Hi, I'm 16 and have been offered a sponsorship in the summer.
I have been asked to draw a list of the three companies I would like to be sponsored by (you can probably guess who's given me the offer). I have narrowed it down to a few (P&O Ferries, Wilhelmsen, Imperial and Eastern Pacific) I was wondering if anyone knew any good or bad points about any of these companies and also my offer letter said my training would commence at Warsash but I was under the impression that the sponsoring company chose this?
Thanks,
H2O

[Clanky]

First of all congratulations on getting a place, competition is high and you must have done well to get through.

The only company that I have any experience of is P&O ferries, you will get good training there as the standards are quite high, although you might struggle to sail a great circle from Belfast to Stranraer.

I think the training provider decides which college you go to as I have heard tales of cadets not finding out who their sponsoring companies are until after they start at college.

[Dannyboy14]

I take it your with the same company as me....I chose p&o ferries dfds and CalMac......can safely say the latter is out of contention. I don't have experience with any but idealistically I would want to work in the passenger section of the industry.

[H2O]

I didn't have DFDS as an option that's a shame, I've been on a few DFDS/P&O Ferries and lots of P&O Cruises, but it just seems so hard to get into. I would definitely like to be in the passenger industry. Are you starting in September? I'm thinking of putting tanker companies as GuinessMan said its easier to switch to passenger after and its hard to switch from passenger to tanker

[H2O]

Thank you Clanky, I am delighted to have been given an offer. That was my main worry about putting P&O, GuinessMan suggested trying to get on a chemical,gas or crude carrier, he said it's easier to switch from them to passenger then it is the other way round

[IFHP]

Absolutely! Get a tanker company down, you can switch with ease to any company and if you are really lucky you will get a tanker company that does DP *cough* Knutsen, Northern Marine. Each to their own but personally I find ferries mind numbing especially as a deck officer, however, different strokes and all that. Congratulations on getting a place but remember the hard stuff starts soon!

[GuinnessMan]

Most passenger ferries around the UK, particularly Calmac, can be dead man's shoes when it comes to promotions and what not.

Better off elsewhere....

[thebrookster]

I second IFHP, tankers prob give best experience.

DP worth looking at (I was with Knutsen, and they certainly trained me well enough), note here though that as of two years ago they were not hiring British Officers. Don't let that dissuade however, the experience stands for nearly as much if you decide to carry down the oil route.

TBH however, LNG is the way forward today in the tanker industry, and myself that is certainly what I would be looking at now if I was starting a cadetship. Will give the best chances of job security further down the line.

Company wise (having more than a fair idea of who you are with), I would aim for Knutsen simply for experience, otherwise if you want something that is more likely to employ you after then either NMM (Stena) or Chevron are good possibilities for tankers generally.

Enjoy your cadetship!!

[H2O]

Thanks IFHP, I will definitely look into Knutsen more, I saw they were Norwegian and thought there's no chance I'd get with them. NMM sound like a good one to go with I've seen a lot about them on OC. Do you know anything about Norbulk and or Odjfell?

[H2O]

Thanks thebrookster, I'm definitely going to look at Knutsen I ignored them as I saw they were Norwegian so I didn't think I'd have a chance. I think I'm going to put down tanker operating companies for all 3 choices as it sounds like a good idea. Do you know anything about Norbulk and or Odjfell?

[size4riggerboots]

A mate of mine did their cadteship with Odjfell, had nothing but good things to say about them. And she got a job with them after.

[H2O]

Thanks I can't find anything about them on the forum, that's good to here. I think that's my third and final choice. Now just to order them

[thebrookster]

Thanks thebrookster, I'm definitely going to look at Knutsen I ignored them as I saw they were Norwegian so I didn't think I'd have a chance. I think I'm going to put down tanker operating companies for all 3 choices as it sounds like a good idea. Do you know anything about Norbulk and or Odjfell?

Zero on those two, I am afraid. In general, from speaking to various guys onboard/ashore etc, the consensus seems to say that the Scandinavian companies seem to have better working conditions (I certainly know that when I have sailed with Norwegian and Swedish Captains the quality of food goes up :P :P ), maybe some of the more experienced hands here can illuminate further?

Don't discount Knutsen BTW, I ended up with them and I never even put tankers down in my three choices!!

Best of luck, anyway!!

Cheers,

Phil

[H2O]

Ok thanks for all of your help! I have my final 4 now to decide the three: 1.Chevron 2.Odjfell/Knutsen 3.Wilhelmsen

[H2O]

Ok thanks for all of your help! I have my final 4 now to decide the three: 1.Chevron 2.Odjfell/Knutsen 3.Wilhelmsen