Royal Navy Rating

Royal Navy ratings work on ships or submarines, or at Royal Navy bases. They operate technology, carry out repairs and put operations into practice. There are many different roles in different specialist branches, including:

• Warfare branch - air engineering technicians, communications technicians, warfare specialists, hydrographic, meteorological and oceanographic specialists, communications and information systems specialists, seaman specialists, mine warfare specialists and mine clearance divers
• Engineering branch - engineering technicians (weapons or marine)
• Logistics branch - chefs, stewards and logisticians
• Medical branch - medical assistants, dental hygienists, dental nurses and nurses
• Fleet Air Arm - air engineering technicians, naval airmen (aircraft handling or survival equipment), and aircraft controllers.

Ratings based ashore generally work normal office hours Monday to Friday. Depending on their branch, ratings at sea work either normal office hours or a shift known as a 'watch'. The watch system covers 24 hours for certain roles. Ratings may work at sea on board a ship or submarine, or at an onshore base.

Salaries range from £13,377 to £32,531 a year.

A Royal Navy rating should:

• work well as part of a team
• be able to live and work closely with other people
• have self-discipline and the ability to react quickly under pressure
• have a good level of physical fitness and be able to swim and tread water
• be able to follow orders
• enjoy the armed forces' lifestyle and being active.

There are around 34,710 ratings. About 4,500 are recruited each year. All jobs are open to men and women, except mine clearance diving and working on submarines, which are open to men only.

There are no formal entry qualifications for many jobs, although GCSEs or equivalent qualifications may be an advantage. A few trades specify minimum requirements. Ratings must be at least 16 years old on entry, while some trades have a higher minimum age. It is possible to join most trades up to and including an applicant's 37^th birthday.

All new ratings undertake nine weeks' basic training. This includes practical exercises, parade drill, physical and fitness training, personal weapons training, a swimming test and general naval training. Ratings then take specialist training for their chosen trade.

The Royal Navy has a clear promotion structure. In addition, those with the necessary qualifications and potential can apply for a commission as an officer.

Further details