MNTB - Careers At Sea

Having been made redundant as an Electronics engineer I decided that I would look for a new career that not only offered excellent job security but also had clear routes towards progression. I had always thought of joining the merchant navy and this was the push that I needed to join up.

College life is very good as there is a healthy balance of theory and practical. I have enjoyed the challenge of learning mechanical principles and at the same time doing things like welding and turning. I also have made new friends who all helped each other to pass.

If you have never been to sea before it can be a little daunting at first but you soon get the hang of things. Just being able to connect the theory to real life practice is great. As I was onboard a cruise ship the hotel side of operations was complex and we had Azipod propulsion which was state of the art and interesting. Here I also met many different people from all over the world as cruise ships have many diverse professions and nationalities on board.

I have now qualified and finished my HND. The feeling when I passed my oral exam was amazing. Now my plan is to learn as much as I can in order to take my class 2 orals in 18 months. I hope to achieve chief engineer as quick as I can.