Applying to join the Royal Navy...

Shep_Cobain

Shep_Cobain

Shep_Cobain

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Joined
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Location
Blackpool
So, as some of you may remember I applied for the Merchant Navy with BP as the sponsoring company.

I did pants in the telephone interview but was invited for a face to face interview in Manchester.

I did some research into the company and had a good interview, unfortunately I was unsuccessful.

I have now decided the Royal Navy is the way forward as I can do the same job (Engineering Technician - Marine).

I went to the careers office yesterday and got an application form and was told its an 8month wait for a ship engineer, which in the meantime you can process all your application etc.

So... once I have applied I will be invited for a psychometric psycametric test and a medical same day. Then I will be invited for an interview which I must do research into the role I applied for and the Royal Navy - then a 1.5mile run on a tread mill in 12mins I believe.

Simples!

I will fill out my application form out tonight - However.... if I was to join as a Submarine Engineer.... it’s a 4-5month wait and its £300 a month more.

Also, after 26weeks training you get £5000 cash in hand tax free.

BUT!!!! You are away for 3months at a time underwater.... no fresh air etc.....

The reason I wanted to join the Merch/Royal Navy was to see the world as well as have a fantastic career.

So.... anyone else here in the Navy and have any tips for my interview if I’m successful?

Thanks
 
My uncle was in the navy as an engineer of some sort and I saw him and my cousin a few weeks ago. My cousin is about to join the navy and was also considering going for the subs. My uncle told him it was a bad idea, as although the pay is more, the conditions aren't great and as you point out, you ain't gonna get a lot of sunlight down there.

That said, I guess it depends on what sort of things float your boat (lol. pun); for some people, that might not matter. Shame you can't 'try before you buy'!
 
My best mate is an ET, get used to 6 hours off/on or was it 4 cant remember what he said lol. Oh and working with poo when your new :p
 
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As you already know the pay for submariners is significantly more than it is for matelots on surface ships but you have to consider what you want more. You'll see a lot more of the world in a Type 23 frigate than you will on a T-boat or a bomber.

With regards to the interview I did mine in 1993 so I'm guessing a lot has changed since then, I'd just say, be yourself. Find out as much as you can about the RN, the ships(roles, weapons, engines etc) and the operations they are and have been recently involved with.

I'd also suggest using the time from starting your application to when you join up to get in the best possible shape. Physical Training while in basic training is pretty easy compared to the Army/Royal Marines etc, and can be quite enjoyable if you are in shape. But if you're a fat ******* then you will struggle.
 
wordy said:
As you already know the pay for submariners is significantly more than it is for matelots on surface ships but you have to consider what you want more. You'll see a lot more of the world in a Type 23 frigate than you will on a T-boat or a bomber.

With regards to the interview I did mine in 1993 so I'm guessing a lot has changed since then, I'd just say, be yourself. Find out as much as you can about the RN, the ships(roles, weapons, engines etc) and the operations they are and have been recently involved with.

I'd also suggest using the time from starting your application to when you join up to get in the best possible shape. Physical Training while in basic training is pretty easy compared to the Army/Royal Marines etc, and can be quite enjoyable if you are in shape. But if you're a fat ******* then you will struggle.
Click to expand...

Luckily ive been in the army and im as fit as a fiddle still. Thanks for the advice though.
 
My Dad was in the RN as a Marine Engineer Mechanic, and was a Chief Petty Officer/Artificer when he left, by that time he had served on various subs from the old Deisel boats upto the Polaris & Churchill class nuclear boats, he would spend upto 6 months on patrol on a nuclear boat, and was a CPO on HMS Conqueror when she sailed to the Falklands and sank the Belgrano.
He got to see plenty of the world and loved it, plus was on many 'secret' missions that the serface boats never do, such as reconisence of the coastal waters off colder nations back in the cold war days. ;)
Conditions on a modern nuclear Sub are far better than the days of the deisel boats, but if you like fresh air, maybe not the choice for you?
 
I can't say I'd fancy a submarine. Gay jokes aside, I don't think I could be cramped indoors for that long, I like fresh air too much.
 
A good friend of mine was on the vanguard class subs as a medical officer and he hated it. He agreed to do sub duty to basically guarantee he would be put forward for the further training he wanted , but he hated the subs duty. Only ended up doing 2 3 month duties but he wouldnt go back. A lot of the submariners seemed to feel the same way. He said they felt conned into taking the role early on in their careers due to financial rewards, but found it a miserable way to live. levels of boredom like he had never experienced before also.
 
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