Career Paths

A career in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) brings numerous opportunities for travel, adventure, training and teamwork, but there are plenty of practical benefits too.

Job Security, Pay and Pensions:

The pay compares well with equivalent Merchant Navy jobs. The long-term job security is good, and you’ll be able to gain qualifications that will stand you in good stead within and beyond the RFA. Like other civil servants, you’ll also have a choice of pension arrangements. Under the contracted-out scheme, you pay lower National Insurance contributions (NICs), but won’t receive any State Pension for your period of service. With the Partnership scheme, you’ll pay more NICs, but receive a State Pension on top of your Partnership benefits. For more details, you can visit civilservice-pensions.gov.uk.

Training:

As a rating or an officer, much of your training will be ‘on the job’, but you’ll also carry out fully funded training to gain Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) certificates. As a rating, you’ll earn the equivalent of NVQ to at least Level 2 (although this depends on which department you’re in. In Communications you won’t study an NVQ and Deck Ratings follow a Merchant Navy qualification instead). As an officer, you may have the opportunities to gain higher degrees and management qualifications.

Quality of Life:

Your ship isn’t just your workplace – when you’re at sea it’s your home too. This is why accommodation is usually generous, offering more privacy and space than you’d get on a Royal Navy warship with all qualified ratings and officers having their own cabins. As well as this, after each four-month deployment, you’ll have 84 days’ paid leave before you go to sea again.

The best of both worlds:

In the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, we have the best the best of both worlds. We’re civilians, but we use Royal Navy training courses, establishments and sport facilities.