Marine Engineering Mechanic

[Dewert25]

Hi, my name is Dan ive been reading the site for awhile and just want some more info. Currently im waiting for my call, ive been through the recruiting process originally for one of the marine tech jobs but my eyesight got me  (im level 4 if i remember) and i had to switch so they offered me MEM which im trying to get in currently.

Now ive looked around, read what i could on it but if anyone on the sight can give me some information on what its like that would be awesome. Just some general info would be much appreciated.

 

[FDO]

Although I've never been a "Stoker" I have been in the Navy in a hard sea trade for several years. What I can tell you is if you like working with your hands AND your brain it's the place for you. The Mar Eng Mech are responsible for all the machinery that make a ship go. They also make sure we have light and hot water. They are also our firefighting and damage control experts. When you get some training and some experience you will become the flightdeck engineer. You will be responsible for working wioth the Air Department making sure the flightdeck and area is safe and ready for the helo. You could become the "upperdeck stoker". You'll be responsible for all the upper deck machinery as well as the large boat we call the RHIB.

There are seveal different aspects to the job. If you ask any stoker they will tell you it's great job.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

Wow-Where to start. I have spent 27 of my 47 years doing this though the first 2 and a half years were as an METTP in St Lawrence College in Cornwall, ON- I know-I hear the boooos!!
Know your math and be prepared for a steep on the job learning curve. No one class of ship will move you along quicker - your attitude, your effort and your ability to be willing to grasp what will be brand new is what will move you along. True, the more 'class' tickets you have add 'points' at merit boards but trust me when I say: You are no where near there yet.
Right now, I would suspect that a stoker getting in would follow career progression pretty much to a tee in line with the Career Progression as laid down by DMarPers(The Ottawa career Gods):
AB - 24 months
LS - 48 months
LS Tech - 6 years
MS - 6-8 years
PO2 - 8-10 years
PO2 Art - 10-12 years
PO1 - 13 years
CPO2 - 15 years

Now for some of the Stokers in the crowd, these numbers are very 'optomistic' but keep in mind our consistantly dwindling numbers. ( I myself was a PO2 for 11 years alone!!!)
Ask lots of questions of the recruiter and once you finish Basic. Before you go on NETP and/or QL3, I truly hope you are attached to one of the Fleet Schools. I can tell you that I personally, take in CFNES MSE Divs and immediatley attach them out to ships alongside for trade experience as does my west coast counter part.
All I can say is good luck, don't give up and can't wait to see you in the Fleet!!

 

[Njord]

Thanks for the info Pat in Halifax, you've answered all my main questions I had posted in a different thread. Definitely helpful. Cheers.

 

[Dewert25]

Yes thanks for the information, very helpfull though im worried about my math level but im sure theyll bring me up to speed once i hit the schooling after BMQ. Big help guys, and love the fact that theres different aspects to the job which makes it alot more interesting.

 

[stabmasterarson]

I'm hoping to become a stoker also...does prior education or experience help at all in shortening the length of time you are in training before being posted to a ship? I have finished my first year millwright certification, don't know how applicable it is to the stoker trade though.
I have passed the cfat, qualified for the trade and am waiting for my part 2 medical and interview.

Also, is there any recruiting bonuses going on for the mar eng mech trade right now? I can't find any information on that, but I thought I saw a post on a search that said there was an incentive for that trade. That's not the reason I'm enlisting, but it would help cushion the blow of lost wages that I would be looking at from my current job...I have bills (mortgage, car payments) that I need to support until I get posted and can sell my house and move through the relocation program (if I get in of course)

Sorry, not trying to hijack, I'm just afraid to start a thread in recruiting for fear of getting jumped on, and the recruiters I have been talking to don't seem to be very informed about the navy situation specifically.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

I am not going to dwell on your last statement except to say that it is common knowledge that several Recruiting Centres, have, in the past been guilty of this - not sure why - Suffice to say that our senior personnel are working in an attempt to correct this.
As for your other questions - NO, there is no signing bonuses for recruits. There is a provision to bring in HAL class EOOWs with potential signing bonuses but I have yet to see the documentation and know of no one who has been targetted - Obviously, this is a small group. What you likely heard was the talk of 'incentives'. Essentially, each year in a rank, on the anniversary date of your promotion, you recieve a cash incentive up to 4 years in rank at which time you should be promoted again (If not, you have p***ed in someone's Cornflakes and probably don't deserve a promotion!)
Unfortunately, your millright papers though beneficail, will likely excuse you from only small components of training. You will have a PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment) done which actually comes to one of the Schools (Esquimalt or Halifax) and people like myself look at the 'extra' education and compare it to the QSP (Qualification standard) for your trade course and determine if anything can be 'signed off'.
We have done a few of these recently for both stokers and electricians and the problem is though you may be excused for a phase of training, it may be short and then what do we do with you for that time period. Admittedly, this is a little outside my area but I would encourage you to wait and see what happens once you are in. Any extras you have will only enhance your ability to learn and move you along (in the short and long term) a little faster that the norm - in all likelihood.
Finally, and maybe nag is a little strong and maybe the Recruiter may have something to say to me offline but I encourage you to nag him/her to get the medical and final interview. The trade is woefully short at the junior levels and we truly need go getters like yourself - You are, after all, the Navy's future - Good Luck and keep plugging away!

 

[FDO]

First of all Mar Eng Mech applicants are entitled to a "Recruiting Incentive" IF THEY QUALIFY.
We will send a PLAR to the Occupation Manager to see if any of your qualifications will get you anything. Usually they get you time towards pay increase or time towards promotion.

My advice is to not "nag" the recruiting center but check in every couple if weeks or so. With that being said Mar Eng Mech is a trade that is very short. What we do here is we will bump someone out of the medical and interview spots who's trade is closed or they are not going to get in very soon. We are currently booking medicals for the middle to end of January. Things are very busy in recruting right now as well as the priority trades, we are trying to get ROTP applicants processed as they need to have everything done no later than the end of February.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

I stand corrected - There is an incentive under SEP (me thinx?).
Anyway, I knew that word 'nag' would ruffle a feather or two!!! Maybe "aggressively maintain contact" is the nicer way!
For your info, our Occupation Manager (the one who processes MAR ENG PLARs) is pretty gung ho (read "quick") (even if he is a submariner!!-That should garner some heckles!!)  as are the TEs (Training Establishments - Schools) when he defers to us. As frustrating as it may seem, I suspect your wait will not be too long.

 

[stabmasterarson]

Thanks for the info people

The med tech wanted me in for my part 2 physical and interview a week after I passed my part 1 physical and cfat. The problem is I got my ACL reconstructed at the end of august. I told her that, and she recommended I wait until the new year for the interview/part 2 so I would be more healed up from the surgery. She gave me a form for the surgeon to fill out then.

I have an appointment with my surgeon for the 21 of December...he told me that my knee is healing up really well and I should be able to run for "December". I took him at his word and started running Dec. 1  > and my knee feels good, I can run 1.3 miles at 6 mph, 3.0 incline and that's getting better every run. I'm also working on my fitness etc. for BMQ if I do qualify. I'm working on the armstrong 20 pullup program, can do over 100 push ups, etc. I have an MMA and kickboxing background, that's how I ruined my knee.

After I get that form, I call the CFRC on Jan 4. and I will dust my suit off, and hopefully I'm off to a new adventure in life.

 

[FDO]

I know your not going to listen to this but you should. DO NOT push the healing just to get in. If it takes an extra month or two then so be it. Better to heal properly and be a Stoker in two months then to blow out your knee in Basic and never see the inside of a turbine!! Take it slow and easy. Trust me, I have two steel plates in my back because I pushed the healing.  There will be a position when your ready.

 

[stabmasterarson]

I'm not going to do anything that my surgeon says I shouldn't do. He told me that I am healing up really well though. I have no swelling, no cartilage damage,  very little pain and have good muscle tone in my leg, can do many body weight and weighted squats, lunges, skip, plyometrics etc.

I used to be in really good shape, I think that's why I'm recovering so fast and I take care of myself, I don't drink much, vitamins, rest, etc.  I walked around on crutches for 6 weeks after the surgery which is an extra long time, because my ortho is an ex hockey player  with wrecked knees and takes no chances with his repair jobs.

Either way, it's good to know there will still be spots available if it takes me a bit longer than I envision.

 

[TRYHARD2001]

Just out of curiosity, it sounds like we have some fairly experienced Mar Eng Mech's in here and I was wondering if any of you can offer up any links to course packages or specific recommended fields of study prior to going on course?

I'm asking here because I was just transferred from the Patricica's to the HMCS Nonsuch here in downtown Edmonton and no on here seems capable of helping me out with anything at the moment. I've got about 4 months to go my NETP training is slated to begin, so with all the time in the world on my hands, I figure I might as well get the ball rolling.

 

[Stoker]

Are you in the Naval Reserve?

 

[TRYHARD2001]

Are you in the Naval Reserve?

Absolutely not. I'm currently reg force but have just transferred over to the Navy from the Infantry in the past 3 weeks. I found out a few days ago that I won't be posted to Esquimalt till January for my various courses so I'm stuck at HMCS Nonsuch (cuz there's Nonsuch thing as a Navy in the Prairies, har har) for around 4 months. Not that painting a decommissioned deck gun from WW II isn't rewarding, but I'm just trying to get my hands on a course package or something that might get my mind into more of a mechanical mode, so to speak.

 

[Stoker]

Was wondering since you are at a naval reserve unit. Bone up on your math and physics. As well seek the SS stoker there, he should be able to help you out.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

That's right, there should be a RegF stoker on staff there and in all liklihhod is an HPD West which is where MAR ENG QL3 training is done. If he doesn't know the answer himself, he will (should) know someone who does know the answer. If no luck, PM me and I will find out for you.

 

[JAudet]

Why is this trade so often in high demand?
Is it really that hard to find ppl interrested in this line of work? I feel it would be an amazing trade to be a part of.
Anyone here have something to say about the least appealing aspect of this job? Stories?
The training must be very difficult, or atleast intimidating for alot of ppl not to be applying for this position. What are your thoughts?

 

[Pat in Halifax]

Plain and simple...It is not sexy. You work in a dirty hole keeping overstressed equipment operating...ya, ya, I know, we all do that but this gear is below 3-deck and generally no one else goes there. 29 years in and I would not trade it for anything but I do understand the lack of allure. This may likely stem too from the less advertised name for the trade; stoker, which implies dirty hands...and faces...and everything else and few of the last few generations (mine included) do(did) not want to dirty themselves.
Attrition, however is high. Though our quals do not meet civilian quals standards, many employers take on Mar Engs (a sea going Mech Eng essentially) because of their hands on experience and professionalism (as members of the CF).
Oh, and, to echo your own statement ...It is an amazing trade!

 

[yoman]

Plain and simple...It is not sexy. You work in a dirty hole keeping overstressed equipment operating...ya, ya, I know, we all do that but this gear is below 3-deck and generally no one else goes there. 29 years in and I would not trade it for anything but I do understand the lack of allure. This may likely stem too from the less advertised name for the trade; stoker, which implies dirty hands...and faces...and everything else and few of the last few generations (mine included) do(did) not want to dirty themselves.
Attrition, however is high. Though our quals do not meet civilian quals standards, many employers take on Mar Engs (a sea going Mech Eng essentially) because of their hands on experience and professionalism (as members of the CF).
Oh, and, to echo your own statement ...It is an amazing trade!

It is for those reasons that I have the utmost respect for the stokers. I was able to help out a few times last summer and I saw just how dirty (and sweaty) you can get.