Annual Salary
£13,500 to £28,000
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Merchant Navy ratings carry out a wide range of jobs to help the day-to-day running of a ship.
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; away from home
There will be
0.2% more Merchant Navy rating jobs in 2027.
You could:
You may need to wear a uniform and safety clothing and use safety equipment.
You could work on a ship.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers, cramped, at height and you may spend nights away from home.
You can get into this job through:
You can get into this job through an able seafarer (deck) intermediate apprenticeship.
Through this apprenticeship you can become a rating in one of the following areas:
You can apply directly to shipping companies who advertise vacancies throughout the year.
You'll usually need:
You can apply directly to shipping companies or the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Your training will combine college-based study with placements at sea to get practical experience of working on a ship. The length of training depends on your sponsoring company.
You'll need 3 to 4 GCSE grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in subjects like English, maths and physics, or combined science, or equivalent qualifications.
Employers will expect you to have good practical skills, enthusiasm for the career and the potential to complete ratings training.
You may also find it useful if you have qualifications and experience in:
You'll need to:
You can find out more about becoming a Merchant Navy rating from Careers at Sea.
You could move up through the Merchant Navy ranks of leading hand, petty officer and chief petty officer. With the necessary skills and experience, you could take further training to join the junior officer ranks.
You could also use your skills to move into onshore engineering or a hospitality and catering career.
You'll need: