by Michael Hales

Created on: May 19, 2009

These days, joining the British Merchant Navy, upon leaving Secondary school, is often a career path that is overlooked. To be honest, it is a career I chose, without really knowing anything about it, so I decided to write this article to give some clear information, and to state some honest advantages and disadvantages of a "career at sea".

The merchant navy is a collective name for the shipping industry, made up of private companies transporting all forms of cargo from country to country, via sea passage. This cargo can be anything from Oil, Containers containing products, bulk cargoes such as iron ore, or even passengers (cruise ships).

The Merchant vessels do not go to war.....I remember when I first started my career, so few people actually knew what the merchant navy was, everyone assumed that I was actually in the military.

Before commencing your training/cadetship, you need to decide which department you would like to start your career. One option is the "Deck Department" where you will become a Deck Officer, with the intention of rising through the ranks to be Master/Captain of the ship. Your actual work involves navigating the ship, planning the ships routes, and performing of the cargo operations.

Cargo operations vary depending on the type of ships you work on, and the company you work for.

The other option is to join the "Engine Department", where you will become a Marine Engineering Officer with the aim of become the Chief Engineer of the vessel. This is the option that I chose when I started my career at sea. In this career path you will learn all disciplines of engineering, including mechanical engineering (all types of machinery including diesel engines and propulsion), system and plant engineering (the ship is the equivalent to a small town requiring electricity, water, sanitation, etc), as well as learning how to maintain and fabricate (welding and lathe) components and machinery.

Whichever career path you choose, you start by studying as a Cadet. This Cadetship training lasts approximately 4 years. In the UK, upon completing your cadetship, you acquire NVQ qualifications, a HND (higher national diploma) and your relevant COC (Certificate of Competency) required to work on the vessel as a licensed officer.

The Advantages of joining the Merchant Navy:

Cadets get paid to train. Unlike most studies, where you pay to study, companies hire cadet to train. In 2008/2009 cadets can get paid around 16,000 a year to study. Not bad, considering

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