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Job Role
Seaman Specialist
Job Role

Seaman Specialist

You’ll gain the specialist skills needed to steer the ship, act as lookout and communicate with other ships.

Fast trackAdminWarfareApprenticeships
  • £18,500 - £56,000
  • No qualifications
  • Surface Fleet
  • Warfare
  • Rating level

At a glance

From the minute you join you’ll be on your way to becoming a professional sailor. Seaman Specialists experience a true life at sea: from navigation to guarding your ship in port, your skills protect our nation’s interests – wherever you are in the world.

£23,496

The minimum you’ll earn after training

Zero

Qualifications needed

£56,383

Earn over this amount as you progress

Free

Medical and dental care

6 weeks

Of paid holiday every year

Travel

All around the world
seaman specialists at work
I play a big part in keeping the ship going, and get involved in all sorts of operations, from replenishment at sea, to crewing our speedboat.
Seaman Specialist in uniform facing camera

Wendy

Seaman Specialist, Warfare Branch

Role details

What you’ll do

As a member of the team who sails the ship, you’ll be indispensable to the smooth running of some of the most advanced warships on the planet. And from the minute you join you’ll be on your way to becoming a professional sailor. Seaman Specialists experience a true life at sea. From navigation to guarding your ship in port, your seamanship will help protect our nation’s interests – wherever you are in the world.

Your role

  • Steer your ship, act as lookout, and communicate with other vessels.
  • Moor, secure and guard your ship when in port.
  • Operate smaller weapons like General Purpose Machine Guns.
  • Drive fast rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB) in all conditions.

Pay & benefits

  • A salary that rises to £23,496 after initial training
  • Earn in excess of £56,383 as your career progresses
  • Civilian-recognised Martine Coastguard Agency (MCA) accreditation
  • Six weeks of paid holiday every year
  • Free medical and dental care

Skills for life

Qualifications you'll gain

  • GCSEs, A-Levels, NVQs or a degree
  • MCA accreditation

Skills you'll develop

  • Advanced seamanship skills, valued far beyond the Naval Service 

  • Technical skills including signaling, sailing, mooring and operating machine guns

Eligibility

  • You must be aged 16 to 39
  • No qualifications are required for this role
  • A National of the United Kingdom, a Commonwealth citizen or Dual National. Dual Nationality restrictions do apply
  • A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 28 (between 17 and 27 if under 18)
  • Pass the Naval Swimming Test

Skills & Interests

  • Willing to learn new skills with different types of equipment 
  • A love of teamwork
  • A passion for life at sea
  • >A sense of adventure

Joining Process

From picking your role 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 and have satisfied the basic eligibility criteria, you will be sent an online application form

Apply
Step 2

Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA)

You’ll be tested on: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Work Rate, Spatial Reasoning, Electrical Comprehension and Mechanical Comprehension.
To prepare, you can practise the DAA

practise the DAA
Step 3

Interview

A formal interview to talk through your suitability for the role. This is normally conducted using your own device over the Shine video platform
Step 4

Candidate Preparation Course (CPC)

This four-day induction to life in the Royal Navy, including a Swimming Test and a fitness assessment, is a pass or fail course

CPC
Step 5

Start training

Once you’ve passed a Security Check, you’ll be offered a place at HMS Raleigh

Career Progression

From responsibilities to pay, find out where this role can take you.
Day one
Go to sea, work towards Local Boats Crew Endorsement (Bowman)
Year one
Complete Sections 1 & 2 of the Able Seaman Training Taskbook
First promotion
Pass annual tests, get promoted to Able Seaman Specialist 1
Second promotion
Qualify as Coxswain, pass courses, become Leading Hand

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