progression of a weapons engineering officer

[rik9]

Hi, i have recently graduated my masters degree in mechanical engineering, and there is not a career which appeals to me or excites me more than the life i could expect to have as an engineering officer.

i have passed the pre-joining fitness test, and all the relevant medical examinations up to the sift interview.

I'm struggling with finding the progression path that an engineering officer would take step by step and what would be expected at these stages.

I am aware that the next step is the sift interview followed by 28 weeks at BRNC Dartmouth but what happens after that?

Also i realise that money is a secondary issue, however i currently have a mortgage and financial responsibilities which makes the wage i receive while i am studying an issue does anyone know what wage i should expect as this will give me an indication as to what kind amount i will need in savings before starting BRNC Dartmouth.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

 

[soleil]

Hello Rik

Welcome to Rum Ration!

The next step is the Sift Interview, that is true, but that is followed by the AIB and you need to pass that to be in the running for a place at BRNC. More info on the AIB here:

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/Careers/Careers-Introduction/~/media/Files/CNR/Admiralty Interview Board.pdf

See the second page of this for your rate of pay:

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/Careers/Careers-Introduction/~/media/Files/CNR/Pay.pdf

 

[dan457brfc]

Hi,

Firstly welcome to Rum Ration!

I am just about to embark on this path myself I will be joining BRNC in September, I am not too sure about the path up to the day you join Dartmouth but from then on your path looks like this(anybody who knows otherwise please correct me if I'm wrong):

28 weeks New Entry training at BRNC Dartmouth - leaving as a SLt
Between 42 and 95 weeks SEMC course depending upon specialisation inc AWEO/AMEO's sea time - General Service WE's do 42 weeks Submariner ME's do 95 weeks!
On completion promoted to LT
Then 18 months - 2 years of your first Sea Draft(DWEo/DMEO/CISE where you will gain your Charge Qualification.
2nd Job - shore job 18m - 2yrs (Training/Aquisition-Waterfront Support/MSc/Operational Support)
3rd Job - shore job 18m - 2 yrs (HR/Recruiting/MSc/Aquisition - Equipment Design/OP Tour)
4th job(not all) - further broadening/HQ Policy/Op Tour/Shore Charge
Promotion to Lt Cdr
Charge Job - WEO/MEO of a DD/FF/SM

Hope this helps

Dan

 

[Gunner23]

Dan,

This all sounds about right, though I believe as he has a MEng he will carry out the AWEO time as a Lt due to his seniority. Also, on completion of the DWEO's draft he is considered 'Ready For Charge' (RFC).

Hi,

Firstly welcome to Rum Ration!

I am just about to embark on this path myself I will be joining BRNC in September, I am not too sure about the path up to the day you join Dartmouth but from then on your path looks like this(anybody who knows otherwise please correct me if I'm wrong):

28 weeks New Entry training at BRNC Dartmouth - leaving as a SLt
Between 42 and 95 weeks SEMC course depending upon specialisation inc AWEO/AMEO's sea time - General Service WE's do 42 weeks Submariner ME's do 95 weeks!
On completion promoted to LT
Then 18 months - 2 years of your first Sea Draft(DWEo/DMEO/CISE where you will gain your Charge Qualification.
2nd Job - shore job 18m - 2yrs (Training/Aquisition-Waterfront Support/MSc/Operational Support)
3rd Job - shore job 18m - 2 yrs (HR/Recruiting/MSc/Aquisition - Equipment Design/OP Tour)
4th job(not all) - further broadening/HQ Policy/Op Tour/Shore Charge
Promotion to Lt Cdr
Charge Job - WEO/MEO of a DD/FF/SM

Hope this helps

Dan

 

[dan457brfc]

Rik firstly can I congratulate you on your extremely wise choice of WE over ME.

The starting wage for a Graduate New Entry is £30k a year and I believe there is still a £12k joining bonus, I've been told to expect mess bills of approximately £150 - £200 per month whilst at BRNC.

With a Masters degree you will have 3.5 years seniority and will join as a Sub Lieutenant + 18 months, this means you should be promoted to Lt 18 months from the date you joins the RN. Given the current training pipeline that means being a SLt AWEO, I certainly have never encountered any Lt AWEO's - as a UY with a BEng(Hons) I have even been told that there is a possibility that I will go to sea in my DWEO appointment as a SLt initially and be promoted early in the appointment.

Towards the end of the DWEO draft there is a Charge Board and upon successful completion then the Officer will be Charge Qualified and is then able to assume responsibility for the department in the WEO's absence, I recall one instance where our DWEO failed his charge board and the WEO had to cancel his scheduled return to UK.

Dan

 

[Gunner23]

My AWEO joined the ship as a Lt.

Is this Dan the ex-LPWS maintainer?? If so, you're a nozzer, wind your neck in!! haha.

 

[dan457brfc]

My AWEO joined the ship as a Lt.

Is this Dan the ex-LPWS maintainer?? If so, you're a nozzer, wind your neck in!! haha.

True on both counts, was your AWEO a drag ass/failed bubblehead then?

 

[Gunner23]

True on both counts, was your AWEO a drag ass/failed bubblehead then?

No I don't think so, when you add up the amount of time it takes to get through BRNC and all the bits and bobs after it, I think he'd just hit that seniority point.

Daisy

PS Congrats on graduating, must be pretty excited by now?

 

[dan457brfc]

after almost 18 months away from the navy mate it's going to be weird going back to square 1 but I can't wait to get started. Are you going CW mate?

 

[Seadog]

danstuff wrote

(anybody who knows otherwise please correct me if I'm wrong):

life mapped out........

You may wish to get the Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Maritime) in there as a senior Lieutenant / Junior Lieutenant Commander. Most likely you'll be jobbed for it and even more likely you'll enjoy it. Education not training.

 

[alfred_the_great]

ICSC(M) is compulsory for all Lt's to be selected for ACSC, unless your appointer deems otherwise.

 

[older_joiner]

No I don't think so, when you add up the amount of time it takes to get through BRNC and all the bits and bobs after it, I think he'd just hit that seniority point.

Daisy

PS Congrats on graduating, must be pretty excited by now?

I think if you get back phased (unless it is medically), you keep counting down the days from when you joined until you reach LT.
So in theory, you could backphase term 1, be put into conqueror and if you have a masters, you'd be a LT less then year after passing out from Dartmouth.
Seeing as the SEMC for surface is now 13 months, anything is possible.

Happy to be amended as I haven't had to backphase or be conquered.

 

[Gunner23]

Dan, yeah just waiting for extraction, SUY though so not holding my breath!!

 

[rik9]

Thank you all for the great information, i successfully passed my sift interview and i have been give a date for my AIB which is the 29th Nov 2011, although i consider myself to have a good general service knowledge, i was wondering if anyone knew a good place to get a bank of multiple choice service knowledge practice questions which i could attempt while revising this is the first test on the AIB and from what i hear day 2 is the best opportunity to pick up easy marks. with that in mind i want to give myself the best opportunity to pick them marks up!

My second question is, does anyone have any ideas on the current structure of the essay question?? other than current events and, the nuclear programme what are the hot topics?

Thirdly, does anyone know the names of the current AIB board officers? i would like to familiarise myself with their history and professions, if a debate gets lively id like to know from which back ground their opinions are based.

Finally, does anyone know what has happened to the 12K joining bonus for engineers? has the navy stopped offering it completely, or will the candidates who started their application prior to a given date still be eligible?

 

[BreathingOutOnTheWayUp]

Thank you all for the great information, i successfully passed my sift interview and i have been give a date for my AIB which is the 29th Nov 2011, although i consider myself to have a good general service knowledge, i was wondering if anyone knew a good place to get a bank of multiple choice service knowledge practice questions which i could attempt while revising this is the first test on the AIB and from what i hear day 2 is the best opportunity to pick up easy marks. with that in mind i want to give myself the best opportunity to pick them marks up!


My second question is, does anyone have any ideas on the current structure of the essay question?? other than current events and, the nuclear programme what are the hot topics?

Thirdly, does anyone know the names of the current AIB board officers? i would like to familiarise myself with their history and professions, if a debate gets lively id like to know from which back ground their opinions are based.

Finally, does anyone know what has happened to the 12K joining bonus for engineers? has the navy stopped offering it completely, or will the candidates who started their application prior to a given date still be eligible?

Congrats on slithering through your sift interview

Answers to all four of your specific queries can be found at:

http://www.navy-net.co.uk/spoonfeedingfortheidleAIBcandidate/asp/php.69ers



"Easy Marks" - What a Plonker!

 

[Talking Baggage]

Rik9,

I believe the retrospective £12k Bursary (golden hello) may be on hold at present - confirm with AIB.

Ref AIB: yes the test day is an opportunity to pick up easy points, as you can revise for the written tests and get yourself fit for the Bleep Test. There are plenty of books out there on warships and auxiliaries, so get one and revise from that in conjunction with the website. For the psychometric tests again there are plenty of books out there. The essay is not testing your in-depth knowledge of current affairs, but your use of basic English - use of capital letters, punctuation, grammar and sentence construction, along with your ability to present an argument on 2 sides of A4 with a decent intro, main body and conclusion.

However, the 3 events on the final day are worth many more points and deserve significant preparation. As SJRM states, knowing yourself for the interview is vital. This involves fully preparing scenarios that you are likely to get questioned on - why you want to be an (Engineering?) Officer, why you want to join the RN/RM, what activities you do and responsibilities you have, give examples of team work and leadership etc. Your ACLO should fully brief you on all these aspects well in advance! If you have not had an AIB brief already, get on the phone first thing Monday.

 

[Talking Baggage]

Roger that - I will confirm with my source on Monday. I know there had been difficulties....

 

[rik9]

TB did you get a chance to check with your sources?

 

[Talking Baggage]

Trusted (and very reliable) source still saying no at the moment.....

 

[Talking Baggage]

It would be too much to expect all interested parties to talk wouldn't it?!?