Okay help?

I'm VERY new!! Just to warn people.

Complete civilian, with no knowledge of the Navy whatsoever and yet somehow I want to join!

I'm going to an informal interview in 2 weeks time and from then on I dont have a clue. I understand I have to go to the AIB but I don't know what to expect from either experiance.

I'm only 16 and is there anything I need to do/know about anything, I'm so lost.

Help!

x

 

Well, if this isn't a wind-up, just check out all the posts on this subject all over the forum or someone will get back to you i'm sure. Can't help you much myself, been out too long and would not know where to start giving you help. Good luck!

 

Welcome to the site Charzlo, if you want to know what AIB consists of look at this thread, pay particular attention to SUYAIB's posts, he has recently sat and passed it I believe.

http://www.rumration.co.uk/cpgn2/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=4171#69989

 

Welcome to the site mate , cant help with your questions but someone will guide you on your way , been out to long , very best of luck on whatever you chose to do , :wink:

 

I know nothing of the AIB, but a few pointers regarding everything else.

The informal interview is literally just so you can get information and have a bit of a chat about your choice. Dress smart casual.

The aptitude test is multiple choice, so not too difficult to pass if you realise you have a one on four chance of getting it right. Maths is around GCSE level, English is common sense (book is to read as movie is to...?), mechanics can be ok if you relate what you don't know to something you do know.

The 'formal interview' is more of a stuctured chat. Most people enjoy it, i did. Learn a few ships names and types (and aircraft if that's what you're interested in doing). Dress smartly.

Fitness test is 2.4 km run. Can't remember exact numbers, something like 13 minutes for men and 14 minutes for women, something like that.
Medical, for me, wasn't very thorough. Urine sample, get your knees wiggled, get weighed and your height measured. If you're overweight, try to lose some. If you're underweight, try to gain some muscle.

Hope this is a little of what you were after.

 

Aw thanx people I don't know why the first one thought it might be a wind up though.

That does really help, and makes me slightly less nervous. Smart casual, I hope I get the combination right, I don't want to look stupid and nieve.

x

 

well comrade. It depends what you are aiming for. If the wardroom is your thing, then looking stupid and naive is definitely the way forward. If you can tie that to having absolutely no cdf whatsoever, then you are practically through the rupert door!

I would recommend you ask as many questions on here as you can though and really have a long look at all the trades etc and really be sure you want to join. When I get to be prime minister you will after work for a living. Bolivia* won't go tits up itself comrade!

* other countries are available

 

I guess Stripey thought it could have been a wind up because you want to be an Officer and have no idea of the Navy at all? But then again he could have thought it was a wind up for other reasons that I can't see.

 

I know it may sound ridiculous but im not doing this on a whim. I know what I want I always have and I'm completely sure it's what I want to do. Don't ask how I know I just do.

So can I ask another ridiculous question?

What is Navy life like? Fun, boring, hard work, stressful?

x

 

Hey guys, give Charzlo a break - he's only 16 years old! (Which means he'll be your DO in 2 years' time)! :shock:

 

Hey Charzlo, didn't mean anything with the "wind up", other reasons apply.
Hope you get all the info you need on this forum mate and succeed in all you want to do.
In answer to what is Navy life like....you've already answered that with your comments...fun,boring,hard work, stressful!! It's what YOU make of it in the end. I had 24 years of all that and would do it all over again!
(Well, you'd have to twist my arm a bit and bring back the tot, but i enjoyed it most of the time!!) :grin: :grin:

Good luck

 

Best if you dress smartly, I can tell you categorically that they do take note of your standard of dress at officer interviews. But it is fairly relaxed and you will find out everything you need to know about the application process. Relax and ask questions - you know that you're a switched on cookie but you have to convey that to the interviewer!

 

Okay I will try to impress my best!!!

The only thing that really worries me is that im supposed to know aobut ships and stuff!!! What exactly am I supposed to know about them? And will it count against me if I don't know?

x

P.s. Thanx for all the support, If everyone in the navy is as nice as you people I reckon I will really enjoy it!

 

They aren't asking you to have any insider information (and if you did have any such info they might want to know how you know :shock: ), they just want to see that you've read the RN website www.royalnavy.mod.uk and have an idea about what ships the RN has eg different types and what roles they have. In other words they want to see you've done a little reading up on the RN as this shows you're motivated and interested.

 

ahhhhhh thats less scary than I thought! Thanx you won't believe how relieved that's made me!

Erm okay can I ask what sort of job everyone else here does in the navy just for interests sake?

x

 

And another thing Charzlo forget/leave out the text English grammar and selling.

 

Am ex Navy myself mate, but served for 24 years as a Pinkie. Radio Electrical, but I don't know what they call the branch now.

 

That'll probably be an Engineering Technician (Weapons Engineering) or ET(WE).

Hard to say as they've changed the branches so many times since I joined in 85!

 

When you go to the Careers Office, it may be worth asking them if you can go on an acquaint visit to one of the RN establishments (they usually stay at HMS COLLINGWOOD in Fareham). You'll find out a lot and meet people from the various specialisations who will be glad to give you the lowdown on what they do.

The acquaint usually includes a ship visit so you can get a close look at the conditions in which you'll be working.

For types of ships and the various specialisations, take a look at the Careers section on the RN website HERE

Good luck, and enjoy. And keep asking questions, people will be only too happy to answer them!

 

Thanks TD...in my time I was REM, LREM, LWEM(R) POREL, POWEM(R), CPOWEM(R).....???..but left in '88! :???: :???: