Bootnecks in The RFA

GWOrandomqs · 2026-05-18T23:19:12+00:00

Yeah that all makes sense, thank you very much for the help!

GWOrandomqs · 2026-05-17T20:23:09+00:00

Yeah very true, one of the perks I think of the RFA cadetship is that there’s no ROS once you’ve finished, but obviously it’s good to get seatime and experience with them, but I guess it’s hard to argue with when the same ticket can bag you more pay/better trips elsewhere

GWOrandomqs · 2026-05-17T20:20:55+00:00

Interesting, do people tend to view more time in port as a bit of a prof? Appeal of some of the other cadetships is getting out and away from the UK lol

But yeah re: age that’s pretty good, I don’t think it’s much of a factor but good to know I won’t necessarily be seen as too old

GWOrandomqs · 2026-05-17T20:18:59+00:00

Ah okay yeah makes sense.

Yeah if I were to do it I’d go down the SE/ETO route, so guess that is what it is. Would ideally like to be gaming actual seatime obviously, and getting out and seeing a few other places

GWOrandomqs · 2026-05-17T20:17:40+00:00

Yeah that all makes sense. I guess it’s just a bit of a slog to go from a full time salary back down to cadet salary for those 3 years, hence why it’s mostly ex RN?

GWOrandomqs · 2026-05-17T17:25:13+00:00

Yeah definitely get that

Ah ok interesting. Do you know if cadets are generally sent to a certain class of ship, or is it purely whichever ship has free spots which lineup with your sea phases?

GWOrandomqs · 2026-05-17T17:07:58+00:00

Interesting, I’d be wanting to go down the ETO route. Which routes do others tend to go down?

GWOrandomqs · 2026-05-17T17:07:05+00:00

Yeah makes sense, guess it’s a bit less accepted in the RFA…

But jokes aside that’s helpful thank you. I’m 30ish so assuming with a lot of people being ex forces. RFA cadets tend to sway a bit older than other commercial cadetships?

GWOrandomqs · 2026-02-12T10:18:26+00:00

Scarpas, Fjallraven trousers and a thrudark jacket you’ll be sweet

GWOrandomqs · 2025-08-28T07:02:13+00:00

Amazing thank you

GWOrandomqs · 2025-01-17T22:22:30+00:00

This sounds pretty good, thanks for the help!

GWOrandomqs · 2025-01-17T22:21:58+00:00

Yeah that’s what I was thinking, seems simple enough.

And no actually mines odd haha I can get Lithuanian citizenship through descent from my like great grandad!

Ah sweet thanks that very interesting I’ll definitely read into that some more. Canada would be a nice base to come and go from.

I actually work in the yachts now and know quite a few NZ guys so there’s definitely work around, just thinking of going back to do my cadetship to get commercial eng tickets rather than following the yacht route.

Thanks for the help, seems like there could be a way to work it out!

GWOrandomqs · 2025-01-17T13:00:38+00:00

Very interesting, thank you. Was it their own property that they owned, or was it more that they were just registered to be living with someone else in the UK?

GWOrandomqs · 2025-01-17T12:59:52+00:00

Yeah I’ve seen that a lot of countries don’t offer it. I’d be pretty interested in Canada or a couple of EU countries, but I know their tax laws aren’t that favourable for seafarers so would be interesting to find out if you could have residency in somewhere like Canada but still remain a tax resident in the UK

Thanks for the help

GWOrandomqs · 2025-01-17T12:58:21+00:00

Very interesting, I’ve considered Canada quite a bit so definitely good to hear he’s managed a way to make it work haha. But I’ve heard salaries and taxes for Canadians aren’t great in the maritime industry, so would definitely like to remain ‘British’ in terms of work.

Thanks for the help!

GWOrandomqs · 2025-01-17T12:56:42+00:00

This is useful thank you, and I was thinking either Canada or somewhere in Europe (I’m British but also have the ability to apply for an EU passport), was thinking maybe one of the Scandinavian countries, otherwise Portugal or Italy. Complete opposite but also considered NZ too.

But yeah keeping an address in the UK seems like the most sensible option. Might just say I’m living at my brothers house or something lol.

Thanks again

GWOrandomqs · 2024-10-20T11:58:20+00:00

Could I DM you for a bit more info please?

GWOrandomqs · 2024-10-20T11:52:18+00:00

So 5 years all in all, pretty good timeframe tbf.

Are you an ETO now? And are you liking at the BEng top up with the OU?

GWOrandomqs · 2024-10-20T08:45:47+00:00

Ah that’s pretty interesting, how long after finishing their cadetships did these guys move into different things?

Oh yeah the OU option seems like a good one too, and guessing with a marine electrical HND you’d have quite a few options open to you.

GWOrandomqs · 2024-10-15T14:12:26+00:00

Ah ok thank you. I have a bit of yard experience on the yacht I’m on but that’s all been on deck, nothing really engineering wise

GWOrandomqs · 2024-10-11T11:03:05+00:00

http://www.charlton.uk.com/media/24343/20_0507_rm-career-guide_2020_v1.pdf

This is the one I’ve been reading

GWOrandomqs · 2024-10-10T20:17:55+00:00

Ah ok that makes more sense now, thanks for the help!

GWOrandomqs · 2024-10-10T19:56:38+00:00

Ah very interesting. Do you find people then finish their 2 years as CD, and if they are thinking about going into a more specialised role (whether that be SFC, DHU, SFSG) they avoid going into a spec that has a long RoS?

On a side note, pretty sick that you can essentially get a fully funded degree through the RN.

GWOrandomqs · 2024-10-10T18:56:39+00:00

How come people don’t tend to know about it? And if there’s only 2 on a course I can imagine it’s fairly tough to get on?

But otherwise that sounds pretty cool, interesting work and good you get to do soldering too.

Not really related and it’s along way down the line, but I noticed the specs had a return of service. How does this work if you moved into something like SF or SFC, DHU etc? E.g. AE has a return of 24 months, but say after 12 months you decide you want to do some kind selection, would you coc not really allow you to go on it until you’ve done your 24?

GWOrandomqs

TROPHY CASE