colinmc400
Midshipman
I have mainly been a stalker on here and enjoyed some of the "banter" from the 3 badge brigade, but seriously, there has never been so much information available for people wishing to join the RN. But is it a help or a hindrance to new recruits?
I cannot believe some of the questions being asked on here and just wonder if the current "gen xyz" or whatever they are called, are too used to being spoon fed everything they want? R+IT (resource and initiative training) was a huge part of my RN training (as a Fisgard/Caledonia Tiff - spits, just to get it out of the way for you haters out there) and i cannot imagine it being so straight forward for the current generation, used to Googling everything to death and expecting there to be answer before they tackle anything. "I am joining up next year, when is summer leave"???
Also given we can be led to believe from some qtrs, that the MOD has issues recruiting and retaining people, there seems to be a certain desperation from some people to get into the RN, "i had a boil on my bum when i was a kid, will i fail my medical" blah blah. I am in my mid 50's now and have lived overseas for the last 15 years, so is the RN still viewed as a potentially great career, or just a job, when there might be less of those going aorund?
I joined in 1982 and remember the process as:-
1. Expressed interest at Careers office.
2. Went back for entrance exams for Art App.
3. Passed tests and went back for medical.
4. Received confirmation in the post of passing and an offer to join.
5. Returned offer and received joining pack and rail warrant.
6. Packed what they told me i needed and got on to train to Plymouth.
7. Never looked back.
This took max 6 months and only because i wanted to stay at school and pass my O levels. I passed the Art App entrance tests 3 months before i took my O levels, so could have left school and joined one entry before i actually did.
Seems like there are a bunch more hoops to jump and a lot more people wanting to dissect every stage on the Forums, as opposed to asking the people who can give them the official MOD answer. Seemed so straightforward in 1982, but not so much now.
I cannot believe some of the questions being asked on here and just wonder if the current "gen xyz" or whatever they are called, are too used to being spoon fed everything they want? R+IT (resource and initiative training) was a huge part of my RN training (as a Fisgard/Caledonia Tiff - spits, just to get it out of the way for you haters out there) and i cannot imagine it being so straight forward for the current generation, used to Googling everything to death and expecting there to be answer before they tackle anything. "I am joining up next year, when is summer leave"???
Also given we can be led to believe from some qtrs, that the MOD has issues recruiting and retaining people, there seems to be a certain desperation from some people to get into the RN, "i had a boil on my bum when i was a kid, will i fail my medical" blah blah. I am in my mid 50's now and have lived overseas for the last 15 years, so is the RN still viewed as a potentially great career, or just a job, when there might be less of those going aorund?
I joined in 1982 and remember the process as:-
1. Expressed interest at Careers office.
2. Went back for entrance exams for Art App.
3. Passed tests and went back for medical.
4. Received confirmation in the post of passing and an offer to join.
5. Returned offer and received joining pack and rail warrant.
6. Packed what they told me i needed and got on to train to Plymouth.
7. Never looked back.
This took max 6 months and only because i wanted to stay at school and pass my O levels. I passed the Art App entrance tests 3 months before i took my O levels, so could have left school and joined one entry before i actually did.
Seems like there are a bunch more hoops to jump and a lot more people wanting to dissect every stage on the Forums, as opposed to asking the people who can give them the official MOD answer. Seemed so straightforward in 1982, but not so much now.