A little help for my mate

[Kernow J]

Alright all, my mate wants to join the merchant navy as an AB (I'm not sure if he has the qualifications to be a cadet).
I was jus wondering how he'd go about doing it? Are there any companies that may sponsor him though his training?
He's an experienced fisherman and has got some qualifications to go with the fishing side.
Any help would be much appreciated!

Cheers,
Jack!

[EH75]

From what I have read on here British ratings are few and far between and so it is probably not the easiest of routes to get into. I believe the RFA still train British ratings and I think there was some stuff in the Telegraph a while ago about another scheme to encourage it? Maybe someone else knows more about that?

Even if he doesn't meet all the grade requirements some companies might accept is fishing experience in lieu of this for a cadetship, although I guess it maybe depends exactly on what that experience consists of. Might be worth him firing off a few emails to some of the companies on the careers at sea website to see what they say regarding that.

[Kernow J]

Aye aye, thanks very much fer that, I'll pass it on!

[thebrookster]

Don't know about deep sea stuff, but I would have thought his best bet would be to contact all the offshore companies such as Vroon/Gulf etc. Also worth getting in touch with the various manning agencies direct, they may well have stuff that they have not advertised. Possibly Calmac as well (through Clyde Recruit)?

His biggest problem is he will be competing against cheap labour from China/India/Philippines etc, so unless he can find a company that wants British crew it could be quite hard to get in. Sticking with the offshore industry in the North Sea will be far easier for him to break in, as his higher wages are more likely to be offset by the travel costs of the aforementioned nationalities.

What I can't tell you is how his fishing quali's will stack up on the MN side, he would be best asking MCA direct on that one I suspect.

Cheers,

Phil

P.S - Another option he could consider is tugs etc, I have a mate who has worked for these companies, Marineco comes to mind. Mixture of local work and further abroad (he is in Abu Dhabi just now!)

[bobofinga]

A lot of ex-fishermen make up the AB's/Deckhands of standby and supply ships in the north sea. I would look into contacting most of them.

He will have to go through FRC/DC coxswain courses etc. I would recommend contacting North Star Shipping who are basically still a fishing company ...

[chris]

He could try getting on the fisheries research vessel cefas endeavour. They have ex fishermen British ABs. Theyre operated by p&o maritime

[Lewis]

CalMac take on British ABs mostly ex fisherman but some young guys as well. If he's got experience as a fisherman sure some companies might overlook lack of academics (for a cadetship).

[niyall22]

PNTL also use British ratings, one ofy friends just got a trainee AB position with them

[Midge]

I think you will find the MEF fund ratings training. Contact Glenys Jackson, she posted on here recently too, but found the info in Nautilus, so there is another reason to keep an eye on Nautilus!

https://www.nautilusint.org/News-and-Events/Pages/article.aspx?newsid=455

See their strategic, document link on the paged above. Chiltern look after their cadets so maybe their ratings too.

[laura]

DFDS have an AB apprenticeship scheme going at the moment...