Engineer (Information Systems) Officer

hello,

ive just finished uni with a degree in Computer Networking and i have been considering joining the navy as a Engineer (Information Systems) Officer, but the web site doesnt say much about the job? has any one here an any experance of this?

 

I asked the same question a while back, have a search of the forums.

I'm about to start a computer science degree, thinking of doing the same as yourself.

From what I gather the job mainly involves instructing at places like Collingwood or serving aboard larger ships eg Ark Royal, Ocean etc. You can also specialise with the RM or submarines.

 

thats cool, ive just sent back the first form thing, saying i would like to join up, just waiting for them to get back to me, not sure how long it all takes, have you found much info online?

 

Nothing other than what's on the RN website and the answers I've been given to my questions on here.

As it happens I am seeing my ACLO later this month and intend to discuss it more with him then. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

btw, at the first interview thing you have, they sort of test your naval knowledge, you up to scratch on ship recognition, they also asked me what i knew about the job i was doing so background knowledge (the sort u pick up on forums) can help, and they can tell you all the details etc


btw, it takes about a month from sending form to actaully going

 

Have a look here http://www.rumration.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=679.html

PM me, I can fill you in on more if you need. You could also consider joining as a Warfare Officer and specialise as a PWO(C) in later life, or join as a WEO and go PWO(C) too. A few ways to get into operational IS, not as much money as civyy IS but a bit more satisfying.

 

I'd be interested in any further details too wave dodger. One question I have though is to what extent does the standard of your degree affect your pay/seniority? I've heard it does have an effect but would be interested to know by how much.

I'm about to start a degree in computer science which I presume would be suitable for this branch.

 

i think if u have a degree u start as a sub-lt rather than a midshipman and are paid a fair bit more when u sign up

however, the kids who didnt go uni, will have been in the navy for 3-4 years while youve been studenting and will be at least an Lt

i think thats correct, anybody?

 

Not quite
If you're under 20 you start as a midshipman, otherwise you're a sub lt.
If you join as an E(IS) officer you start as a Lt.
If you've been in the navy X years you still start as a sub lt, but you do upper yardsman training at BRNC which is a shorter course since you know most of the stuff already.

 

doesnt it say promotion to lt is gauranteed after a certain point in training, might be the junior officers thing

im not sure on this, not trying to argue with an "old salt"

 

Yep you get promoted to Lt on passing your fleet board.

 

Seniority age on entry:

18 Mid 0 yrs
19 Mid 1 yr
20 SLt 0 yrs
21 SLt 1 yr

Therefore, if someone joins at 18 by the time an E(IS) joins on completion of a MSc age 22 then direct entrant will still be SLt (if I've got my maths right). Seems to me a waste of time giving seniority to E(IS), same as E(TM) but that's well above my pay grade.

e_v

 

so then won't the non-grads, who joined up and passed the fleet board while grads at uni and got a good few years head start and therefore have the better rank

what im trying to say is that at the age of 22 a non-grad could be an Lt for a few years, while a grad, at 22 is still at sub Lt and not yet completed training

however the grad gets paid more during training

 

That used to be the case but I think grads now get equal seniority to non-grads in order not to deter potential officers from going to uni (if I heard my ACLO right). I may be wrong here however

 

i dont no exactly, if an ACLO says it, it must be true ;-)

what you say sounds about right

 

you only get seniority for going to uni until age 21, this is prob to prevent loafing gits who hav 3 gap years then do a 1st degree in underwater basket weaving joining as lt with 3 years seniority.

Seniority is actually awarded for doing the job, not preparing for it, and while I agree with the current system, which is a lot fairer than the army equivalent, I don't think it needs to be taken any further than it is already.

Even UCEs (joined up, BRNC, then uni) who did Masters degrees marked time at SLt +2 seniority so they weren't promoted earlier than anyone else.

 

thanks for all the replys guys, i guess i just have to wait now untill the navy gets back to me, its been about 10days since i sent the first form back to them, guess it all takes time

 

still no letter or calls from them :-(

 

It took exactly 1 week from submitting my initial interest form to getting a letter saying that my details had been passed to the OCLC. My initial interview was 8 weeks after that. Hope that helps.

 

ha ha ha ha
they tricked you.....

At the moment IS is not a branch with in the RN. It IS an ambition to make one, but as I understand it for IS officer read WE with IS aspects.

Good luck future DO's