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Sultan engineers power up their passion for tomorrow’s engineers week
13 November 2024
Engineers and Technicians at HMS Sultan have been drilling down into the nuts and bolts of engineering, exploring their passions in support of a week celebrating the engineers of tomorrow.
Cunningly titled Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, which begins on Monday 11th November, it’s a five-day nationwide celebration of engineering and technology. This year's theme, ‘Power up your passion’, aims to engage even more young people aged 11 to 14, demonstrating how their interests and passions can lead to exciting and fulfilling careers in engineering.
Today’s Royal Navy engineers perform tasks and duties, supporting cutting-edge machinery and systems from strike fighters invisible to radar, engines pushing aircraft at speeds faster than sound, integrated electrical propulsion and high voltage systems powering aircraft carriers and splitting the atom to power nuclear submarines.
Engineering in the Royal Navy is split into three main strands: Marine, Air, and Weapons.
In the Surface and Submarine Fleets, Marine Engineers deal with engines, generators, heating/refrigeration, sewage and water systems, whilst Weapons Engineers ensure weapons and sensors/communications equipment is in full working order.
Within the Fleet Air Arm, Air Engineers deal with the wide range of challenges naval air power faces, from F-35 engines to the cutting-edge sonar of Merlin Mk2s and highly sensitive radar of Wildcats sweeping the ground/ocean for potential foes.
Marine and Air engineers learn the fundamentals of their trade at HMS Sultan in Gosport, weapons engineers just up the road at HMS Collingwood in Fareham.
I love engineering and I got into it through school and working with the STEM programs in school and then figuring out that I liked working with my hands more than I liked sitting in a classroom looking at a PowerPoint and I was much better at that.
Amongst those helping to inspire a new generation of brilliant engineers, highlighting the breadth of creative jobs on offer through the eyes of Royal Navy Engineers and Technicians were:
Air Engineering Technician Thomas Shelton, currently on his leading hand course at HMS Sultan.
“My main role at sea and at squadron is to maintain the serviceability of the aircraft, predominantly the Wildcat Aircraft. Making sure they’re ready for the next sortie, any tasking they require whilst also making sure that the air crew are safe at all times.
“There is a lot of job satisfaction involved with this so when you do a lot of in-depth maintenance and then finally seeing the aircraft fly does mean a lot and so what you’ve done and achieved has resulted in that aircraft getting in the air. Also, being involved in the team, obviously being hands on with the tools whilst being involved in the team does make a lot of commitment and a good level of teamwork as well to make sure that the job is completed and in a good time as well.
“So, engineering is becoming more and more of a key role within any sort of country you work in, the qualification you get through engineering are extremely competitive, especially in the UK.
“I would certainly recommend engineering to students or anyone as it is an extremely enjoyable and rewarding job, the qualifications you gain as well as the practical skills are something you wouldn’t gain in any other job and the life skills that will set you up for the rest of your career.”
You can find out more about Thomas’ role at: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/roles/air-engineering-technician
AB Josh Freeman is undergoing training at HMS Sultan as an apprenticeship Survival Equipment Technician.
“We provide vital survival equipment to the likes of aircrew, whether that’s in operations, in peace time or just training, in case anything bad happens and they need to use your equipment, you’re there to provide it for them.
“I wanted to choose a career in engineering to be hands on and try something new every single day. Engineering is good fun, it’s in basically everything we do. If you enjoy teamwork, problem solving, why not just take a closer look and try it.”
You can learn about this vital job at: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/roles/survival-equipment-technician
Marine engineer Leading Engineering Technician Heather Addison-Prout is responsible for ensuring warships have the power to drive them on deployments.
“I love engineering and I got into it through school and working with the STEM programs in school and then figuring out that I liked working with my hands more than I liked sitting in a classroom looking at a PowerPoint and I was much better at that. I wanted to follow that as a career and the Navy has offered me a possibility to do that. Working with my hands and developing my knowledge both inside and out of the classroom.
“My passion in engineering allows me to solve problems which I love, and I work within a fixed time schedule, so you have the pressure to deliver what is required of you whilst continuing to adapt and change with the current circumstances that you’re working within.
“Students should consider a career in engineering because it’s so versatile, the possibilities are endless! Within the Royal Navy, there are air engineers, marine engineers, weapon engineers and in the wider industry, there are automotive and bio engineers and many more. Whatever you want to do, there are avenues to do it.”
Learn more about a career as a marine engineer in the Royal Navy: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/roles/engineering-technician-marine-engineering
22-year-old Sub Lieutenant Ruby Parker is undergoing her specialist training to become an air engineering officer, which will allow her to oversee the engineering support provided to Merlin and Wildcat helicopters or F-35B Lightning stealth fighters.
“I first got into engineering through studying STEM projects at school and then went on to do the same in my A-levels and then decided to study an engineering degree, then I joined the Royal Navy as an Air Engineering Officer and every single day of my training I’m using those skills throughout my education.
“What I really like about engineering is the problem-solving side of things and it can be really rewarding when you work as a team and things come together and see how they work. Students should look at a career in engineering because there’s lots of opportunities out there within the engineering world and it is a lot of fun!”
If that sounds like a career for you, click: https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/roles/air-engineer-officer
To find out more about wider engineering within the Royal Navy visit: