At a glance
You’ll be pivotal in day-to-day operations, making sure our state-of-the-art ships, aircraft, weapons, and submarines are powered, maintained, and ready for action. Wherever you are, whatever the problem, you’ll be the one to fix it.
Profession
Engineering Rating
You’ll maintain the systems that power the ship, finding innovative solutions to complex problems.
- No qualifications
- Engineering
- Rating level
6 weeks
Of paid holiday every year
£25,000
What you will get paid from day one
Zero
Qualifications needed
Free
Medical and dental care
£58,000
Earn over this amount as you progress
Travel
All around the world
When we’re at sea, if equipment fails, it’s down to us. If it’s an unusual fault it becomes a real team effort. It’s a great feeling when we get technology up and running again against all the odds.
Profession details
What you could do
Joining as an Engineering Rating in the Royal Navy is one of endless possibilities. Whether you’re a STEM enthusiast or just love fixing, starting your engineering career here gets you working on the best kit from day one. You could work on ships, submarines, aircraft, or electrical equipment. Engineering Ratings can go on to specialise in several areas, including marine engineering, weapons engineering, air engineering, communications systems engineering, and survival equipment. Whatever you fix, you can fix it with us.
Your role
- Be a key part of the immense engineering effort that goes into powering our ships, keeping every operation on track and making some essential missions possible.
- Find innovative and resourceful solutions to complex problems, applying the engineering skills and knowledge you gain, in a world where there is no such thing as standard.
- Get your hands on some of the most sophisticated equipment on the planet, working with your team, under the guidance of the Engineer Officer.
- Complete daily rounds, checking equipment to ensure the ship remains operational. You’ll need to be precise and pay attention to detail, because even the smallest mistake can have a big impact on the rest of the ship.
Pay & benefits
- A starting salary of at least £25,000
- Rising to over £58,000 as your career progresses
- Additional pay for each day spent at sea
- An excellent non-contributory pension scheme – we pay into it for you, so you don’t have to sacrifice any salary
- Six weeks of paid holiday every year
- Free medical and dental care
- Amazing opportunities, including world travel and adventurous training for two weeks every year
- Free gym and sports, from football to kayaking to kite-surfing
- Forces Help to Buy scheme – a 0% loan to get you on, or further up, the housing ladder
- Subsidised travel, accommodation and food
Skills for life
Qualifications you'll gain
- Professional qualifications in engineering, depending on career progression
Opportunities open to you
- Study for GCSEs, then A-Levels in subjects including English, Maths and Science
- Gain specialist vocational qualifications like Level 3 Apprenticeship Foundation Degree Modules depending on career progression
- Eventually, you can work toward a degree like Mechanical Engineering, depending on your career progression
- Streamlined route to registration as EngTech and IEng with a professional body
Skills you'll develop
- As an Engineering Rating you will be embarking upon one of the country's top apprenticeship scheme
- Learn to maintain and operate some of the most cutting-edge kit on the planet and become familiar with a variety of sophisticated mechanical system
- You will become a quick thinker and a problem solver who can integrate and become an essential part of the team
Eligibility
- You must be aged between 16 to 39
- No qualifications are required for this role
- You must be a United Kingdom national, or Commonwealth citizen, or Dual National. Dual Nationality restrictions do apply
- Minimum height of 145cm for General Service, 157cm for Submarine Service
- A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 28 (between 17 and 27 if under 18)
Skills & interests
- A quick thinker, with a passion for working with the latest equipment and technology
- A problem-solver who can work well as part of a team
- A real sense of adventure, with a high level of physical and mental fitness
- Enthusiasm for fixing and maintaining electronic and mechanical systems
Joining process
From picking your profession to starting on your first day, these are the steps you'll take to join as a rating.
Step 1
Submit an application
Once you’ve registered your interest in a Profession, and have satisfied some basic eligibility criteria, you will be sent an online application form.
Step 2
Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA)
You’ll be tested on: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Work Rate, Spatial Reasoning, Electrical Comprehension and Mechanical Comprehension. You will need to attempt all sections of the DAA.
To help you prepare, you can practise the DAA.
Step 3
Interview
A formal Selection Interview to confirm suitability of your chosen Profession followed by discussion of your preferred roles that are available within that Profession, including Submarine Service It will also cover the initial stages of the Security application. This is normally conducted using your own device over the Shine video platform.
Step 4
Candidate Preparation Course (CPC)
This is a four-day induction to life in the Royal Navy, which includes assessments of your Fitness and your Medical eligibility, it is a pass or fail course.
Step 5
Start training
Once you’ve passed all eligibility criteria, including a Security Check, you’ll be offered a place at HMS Raleigh to commence your initial training. Allocation to a specific role within your chosen profession will occur during the latter part of initial training.
Got a question?
Our virtual recruiter is available to answer your questions 24 hours a day