Naval Service - Helpfull skills and qualifications

smalls90

I have decided to pursue a career in the Naval Service as a recruit.

Are there any skills or qualifications I could obtain while waiting for the next round of recruitment?

Some thoughts I have already are to obtain a powerboat licence and First Aid.

Any help is appreciated.

mikeym

Are you any good at ironing and polishing boots?

As long as you have a good attitude and you do what your told you shouldnt have much trouble as a naval service recruit.

Make sure your standard of fitness is good.

amurph0

smalls90 wrote: »

I have decided to pursue a career in the Naval Service as a recruit.

Are there any skills or qualifications I could obtain while waiting for the next round of recruitment?

Some thoughts I have already are to obtain a powerboat licence and First Aid.

Any help is appreciated.

You'll receive a powerboat qualification if you pick Seaman's branch, you'll go through the course from scratch whether you have a license from civvie street or not. If you pick any other branch you probably won't be driving boats at all, unless you're a Mech working in the basin when you're rotated off the ship after 2 years.

You'll also do a First Aid course regardless of your civvie street qualifications.

The only real qualifications you need to start off in the NS is a leaving cert, and a good understanding of Math/numbers if you choose Mechs or Comms branch.

Engineering or Mechanical qualifications may help in Mechs branch, and an understanding of computers and radios will obviously help in Comms branch.

For Seaman's and Supply's if you have an IQ above 1 and you have two arms then you're more then qualified.

Tabnabs

amurph0 wrote: »

For Seaman's and Supply's if you have an IQ above 1 and you have two arms then you're more then qualified.

Spoken like a true dungeon dweller. :rolleyes:

If you're interested in a life on deck, small boat handling skills will stand to you. Even driving big boats, small boat skills are still relevant. One good book for the library is The Boatswains Manual By Capt. A.G. Miller. Beg, borrow or steal a copy. It will remain with you for life.

amurph0

Tabnabs wrote: »

Spoken like a true dungeon dweller. :rolleyes:

If you're interested in a life on deck, small boat handling skills will stand to you. Even driving big boats, small boat skills are still relevant. One good book for the library is The Boatswains Manual By Capt. A.G. Miller. Beg, borrow or steal a copy. It will remain with you for life.

I was a seaman actually, was never in the black gang.

Tabnabs

Well that's the worst advice any seaman can give so. I've met and sailed with some incredibly professional and skilled guys on deck. It's a real shame you can't encourage a young lad who is obviously interested and eager to learn more.

ruserious

Think about joining the Naval Reserve. Interview Bonus and good insight into life in the navy.

ex_infantry

take up drinking alcohol as you'll be doin a lot of this everytime your in port for few days while on patrol

amurph0

Tabnabs wrote: »

Well that's the worst advice any seaman can give so. I've met and sailed with some incredibly professional and skilled guys on deck. It's a real shame you can't encourage a young lad who is obviously interested and eager to learn more.

I didn't say Seamen were unskilled and unprofessional, I said if you wanted to join Seamans branch you don't need to be a genius. In branch training you basically just learn about knots and different pieces of equipment found on deck, like what a blake slip is for, etc. Whereas Mechs and Comms have difficult technical tests that a lot of people fail.

Same for supplies, doesn't take someone like Einstein to learn how to put stuff in the fridge.

There's a difference between encouraging someone and telling them the truth. I'm not going to lie to him and tell him he'll be driving RIB's all day long and shooting guns when he's out of the boats, because he won't. Truth is he'll spend 99% of his time mopping, scrubbing, painting and de-rusting.

goldie fish

Having a powerboat course is no real advantage when waiting to join the Naval Service. It will be quite a bit into training before you get to learn to drive Naval Ribs. By then, unless you are out in your own boat for every weekend off, by the time you do your coxn course, you'll be out of practice.
Save your money. Learn how to iron your own clothes, polish boots, and keep your own personal space tidy. These skills will make life in the naval service a lot easier for you and all your fellow crew.

smalls90

Cheers for all the replies lads.

Im aware theres a certain amount of labour involved in the day to day running of the ship. No problems there.

I will more than likely be choosing mech branch. Has anyone here served in this branch or have any info on what to expect. Is most of the work below deck for long hours?
Also what is it that you would be doing in supplies branch? Is there opportunities for getting a HGV licence? Would it be useful to have one when joining?

Will give that book a read if I can get my hands on it tabnabs!

amurph0

smalls90 wrote: »

I will more than likely be choosing mech branch. Has anyone here served in this branch or have any info on what to expect. Is most of the work below deck for long hours?
Also what is it that you would be doing in supplies branch? Is there opportunities for getting a HGV licence? Would it be useful to have one when joining?

Mechs spend most of their time below deck either in the engine room performing maintenance and monitoring readings, or cleaning out the bilges (which is the very bottom of the ship). They'd rarely be on the upper decks, which is why Tabnabs called them "dungeon dwellers", unless they're checking the water hydrants and hoses and stuff like that (Mechs are usually in charge of maintaining fire fighting equipment).

Supplies are basically stewards, you usually have two on each ship. They serve the officers their meals and clean the wardroom. They're also in charge of taking onboard supplies and bringing food from the fridge/freezer up to the chefs in the galley. As a result a supply spends a lot of time with chefs and as a result a good few of them go on to become chefs themselves later in their career. On the base supplies usually work in the clothing stores and tend the bar's in the different mess's or the shop in the canteen.

I don't think you can get a HGV license through supplies, i think you can only get that by joining transport. Anyone from any branch can apply to join transport if there are vacancies. Although keep in mind that if you're in transport then you basically just work from the base, you'll probably very rarely go to sea. Also you cannot join transport straight out of recruits, you must spend time in your current branch before you apply for transfers.

ex_infantry

if you just wanna join to get a HGV licence then just join the army save yourself all the hassle, ya defo won't need a HGV licence at sea anyway

wildfowler94

Keep your head down for the time being, get good schooling and keep your fitness up... when recruitment comes up practice aptitude tests and learn what roles the navy have and the defence forces in general, learn few things about them and the training and make sure you practice your interview skills, it also helps to be involved in local communities and sports...after that if your good enough, you'll get in and be taught all you need to know. oh yeah don't worry you'll get your sea legs after a few rough nights on the high seas.