Royal Navy Engineering Advice

[RN ENGINEERING]

Hello,

I am currently in the midst of my application towards becoming a Royal Navy Engineer, however, I am still unsure about which type of engineering I want to do.
The three types available are Marine, Weapons and Aircraft. I'm ideally looking for any advice which can help me answer the following questions;

The Pros and Cons to each different branch and what life is like for each while away at sea

Career opportunities for each branch when my career in the navy comes to an end.

Any information and advice would be massively helpful!

Thanks.

 

[Waspie]

Until you find someone who can find time to answer what is a very complicated answer. (Not many will have experience of all three, therefore give you a true pro's and con's pictures). Many of us have experience in one but rarely two engineering backgrounds.
May I suggest you use the site's 'search function on the home page. Type in 'engineer', 'aircraft engineer' or 'marine engineer'. That may give you a starting point for any information you desire.
Alternatively, perhaps a trip to you local recruiting office if UK based may unearth more information.

 

[RN ENGINEERING]

I was expecting that to be the case, the website itself doesn't seem to offer too much detail about each role too specifically but almost next to nothing about life after the navy. I'm also hoping that with some luck a current or past member from each branch may stumble across this post and be able to give their insight.

another trip to the recruiting office can do no harm

 

[Alfacharlie]

Question answered. By your own self!

 

[RN ENGINEERING]

It has just come to me however that you mean this site and not the official royal navy site, my mistake

 

[Waspie]

It has just come to me however that you mean this site and not the official royal navy site, my mistake

You got it.
Top right of this sites home page!
I WAS an ex aircraft engineer. But the job has changed so much from my day. I stopped throwing spanners at aircraft in 1978. So I won't comment as it may mislead. If you want an insight into aircraft engineering from a recruits perspective, dig out 'Maxpowers' threads from applying to passing out as an AET. (Aircraft Engineering Technician). Won't do any harm for starters!

 

[RN ENGINEERING]

ill have a look into it, thanks alot

 

[Joint_Force_Harrier]

Being a ex Wafu I would promote Aircraft Engineering however it does narrow down you choices when leaving, I know a few Wafu's who went to work on trains and few that work for BT however . I am still in the Aircraft World however in a Tech Support "Desk" job looking after one of our European C-130 operators.

I think Marine engineering gives a more rounded engineering experience that can be used in civvy street.

As for Weapons, I suppose 'Bensons For Beds' always need sale staff?

 

[RN ENGINEERING]

The choices when leaving is a massive factor for me, I’m sure as it is with everyone, and although I’ve heard that being an ME can sometimes involve doing things that no one really wants to do, the path of future career options it will bring may be worth the sacrifice

 

[WreckerL]

Apart from playing with the sewage system there is a wider engineering scope in the ME which is enjoyable. ME's do everything from main engines down to the taps in the sink on the mechanical side, on the electrical side they do everything from power generation and distribution to the electric galleys and your bunklight.

 

[RN ENGINEERING]

People tend to outline or ask about the negatives in each role and not to bother with the positives so that is very helpful, I think I’ve swayed my head towards ME over the other options

 

[Taztiff]

As for Weapons, I suppose 'Bensons For Beds' always need sale staff?

Ahhhh AAAhhhh AAAhh (sounds of manic laughter).
Who would get your hangar ready for you to turn up late and expect everything available?
Who would look after your nice little torpedoes whilst you were off playing 'oh dear, the cab has gone down sick on a small island in the Caribbean' (Hang on, that didn't sound right!)
And how could a wafu mention 'beds' without feeling slightly embarrassed? (Clicky bed anyone?)


@RN ENGINEERING , there are a number of threads on this subject on this site. Some of them are even serious!! Just take what the wafus say with a pinch of salt - not real Navy.


(Now running away to work!!)

PS Ex-WE, working as a Project Engineer with a Medical Device manufacturer - bit of a difference from Weapons but ALL RN trained engineers are capable of technology transfer with respect to jobs outside. It is yourself who decides your future.

 

[janner]

These Medical Devices, are they the type that a certain Ex Jenny ex member, used to test and report on?

 

[Joint_Force_Harrier]

Ahhhh AAAhhhh AAAhh (sounds of manic laughter).
Who would get your hangar ready for you to turn up late and expect everything available?
Who would look after your nice little torpedoes whilst you were off playing 'oh dear, the cab has gone down sick on a small island in the Caribbean' (Hang on, that didn't sound right!)
And how could a wafu mention 'beds' without feeling slightly embarrassed? (Clicky bed anyone?)


@RN ENGINEERING , there are a number of threads on this subject on this site. Some of them are even serious!! Just take what the wafus say with a pinch of salt - not real Navy.


(Now running away to work!!)

PS Ex-WE, working as a Project Engineer with a Medical Device manufacturer - bit of a difference from Weapons but ALL RN trained engineers are capable of technology transfer with respect to jobs outside. It is yourself who decides your future.

I just lay the bait

 

[Taztiff]

These Medical Devices, are they the type that a certain Ex Jenny ex member, used to test and report on?

I sincerely hope not !!

Wound Management, orthopaedics, sports medicine, hips, all sorts of stuff like that. Some use batteries as well!!

 

[slim]

Being a ex Wafu I would promote Aircraft Engineering however it does narrow down you choices when leaving, I know a few Wafu's who went to work on trains and few that work for BT however . I am still in the Aircraft World however in a Tech Support "Desk" job looking after one of our European C-130 operators.

I think Marine engineering gives a more rounded engineering experience that can be used in civvy street.

As for Weapons, I suppose 'Bensons For Beds' always need sale staff?

I am also an ex WAFU pinkie. Left as a POAEM(R) in 1985 and the only time I have gone near an aircraft is to get between jobs and holidays,
I joined BAe as a Weapons Engineer and during my time with them worked on SINS (submarine navigation systems) Phalanx and Optical gun fire control systems.
After leaving BAE I joined a company name of Molins who were tobacco engineers and travelled the world installing cigarette manufacturing equipement.
So any RN engineering position will give you access to many and varied fields.
What you can do is limited by your imaginatin

 

[Joint_Force_Harrier]

It always amazes me when people think about joining up that the first thought is what's its going to give me when I leave? I honestly never thought about civvy street before I joined as I wanted a long career. It soon became apparent that being an Aircraft Mechanic in the RN doesn't automatically open the career door at Heathrow, Gatwick etc...

 

[WreckerL]

My eldest lad joined as an AEM (we don't mention the fact in polite circles!) and is now an NDT Engineer with an airline based in Exeter.

And the RN paid for him to do an HNC in Mechanical Engineering before he banged his notice in.

 

[Dusty70]

I did 24 years as a Jack Dusty - haven't been near a warehouse since I left in 94 - I have had 2 fantastic jobs which I was interviewed for and got on the basis of my Leadership and Management skills developed as a SR in the mob - my last job(s) were in the NHS where managers who will make a decision and stand by the consequences are treated like gold dust - through 6 NHS restructures I got a better job each time without trying - rising to Associate Director of Operations in a very big multi-site Hospital Trust

I will admit when I got my £2K resettlement grant near career end, whilst most of all the others were doing (mainly) long distance driving courses or brickie courses (as a backup) - I did a management diploma at Plymouth College so I had something different to offer

Summary - there is much more to getting a job in civvy street than being an ME, AET etc etc

 

[slim]

It always amazes me when people think about joining up that the first thought is what's its going to give me when I leave? I honestly never thought about civvy street before I joined as I wanted a long career. It soon became apparent that being an Aircraft Mechanic in the RN doesn't automatically open the career door at Heathrow, Gatwick etc...

I joned the RN with my dads advice still wringing in my ears, "get a trade lad" Not clever enough to be a tiff I joined as a mechanic.
Dad knew that an RN trade with the training that it involved would se me up when I decided to leave.
Good advice then which still holds true today.
My advice is start preparing for civie street as soon as you complete initial training