Petty Officer in Portsmouth, Hampshire Gain confidence and explore the world
Fast paced, team working culture that will build you up and challenge you mentally for you to grow in to a professional individual.
The job is a perfect starting point for individuals leaving school 18 years plus.
Marine Engineering Technician in Faslane, Argyll and Bute Only join as a last resort.
If you have no other option then it can be worthwhile. However, overall it's not a viable career. If you do join, have an exit plan from day one and don't get trapped into the lifestyle.
The work/life balance is horrendous; you'll be totally unable to plan any aspect of your life - neither in the short, medium, or long term. You won't know what you're doing from one day, week, or month to the next. The job itself is extremely monotonous: primarily, you'll do basic general tasks, and any interesting work is almost invariable carried out by contractors. Even when you're not at sea, you'll spend prolonged periods of time living in cramped quarters with your coworkers. Wherever you're currently working, ask yourself if you'd like to also share a room with several coworkers and have no privacy whatsoever. If that lifestyle sounds appealing, then join the navy. For most, it seems to have a detrimental effect on mental health.
Management is poor and manpower is stretched. I could count on one hand the amount of decent superiors I had. At the very top of the chain, they may (may) have an interest in improving H.R. and retention issues - at unit level, it'll be irrelevant to your superiors. The attitude will be "if you don't like it, put your chit in." They lack both the resources and the will to improve anything. You will have no autonomy and be treated and spoken to like a child. If you want to be an adult who's spoken to like a child, has to share a bedroom, and has no autonomy over their own life, then join the navy.
Many will join for the professional training, but that's dragged out over many years of promotion courses. If you can, get the qualifications in the civilian world. You'll do so far faster - instead of doing say 10 years worth of courses in the navy for qualifications that you could gain in 3 in the civilian world - and they'll be more applicable to civilian employers. If RN qualifications lead easily and directly to civilian roles, then everyone would leave immediately.
Toxic work environment and lifestyle, which drags everyone down. I had to get out because I felt that I was wasting my life every day that I was in.
Electronic Warfare Operator Maintainer in Plymouth, Devon Do it at your own discretion - think wisely.
No balance to working life.
Based down south of England or SW Scotland, if you dislike being away from home for more than 1 month - do not join.
Pay and Promotion dependent on application of individual, however if you want to see the world, you will only see the same places deployment on deployment.
If you are to join, I recommend joining in Early twenties as life experience is required.
Food is only free on a ship
Weekend leave is not always guaranteed
Expect you plans to change
Recruit in HMS Raleigh, Cornwall Basic training
Although my time at HMS Raleigh wasn't the smoothest (not that it's meant to be) basic training sets you up well for the military and you can take skills into civilian life there as well. Due to the whole covid situation and at the time I was there, it was unknown whether there was an outbreak on the base. Unfortunately I became ill during training and couldn't pass my fitness test. But all in all I'd definitely go back to the navy.
WARFARE SPECIALIST FIRST CLASS in Torpoint Training is very different from service
Each vessel you join, has its own way of doing things. Some are run tighter than others.
I believe deployment time is up to 9 months now... The pay while away, is very good.
Wouldn’t take the experience away. Life changer.