Royal Navy Rating

Typical Salary

£15,672 To £37,132

Typical Hours

Variable variable

evenings / weekends / bank holidays away from home

How To Become a Royal Navy Rating

You can get into this job through:

an apprenticeship
applying directly

College / University

Apprenticeship

You could apply to join the army through an HM forces serviceperson intermediate apprenticeship.

entry requirements vary

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You can apply directly to join the Royal Navy as a rating. You don't need any specific qualifications, but you will need to meet the Navy's eligibility requirements. For example, you must:

be aged between 16 and 36
pass fitness and medical tests

After applying, you'll be invited to talk to someone at your local armed forces careers office about what you want to do. You'll then attend an interview and assessment.

If you have the right skills, you'll be invited to attend the 4-day Pre-Royal Navy Course. This includes further interviews, fitness, medical and aptitude tests. If you're successful, you'll be offered a place on the navy's basic training programme.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

physical fitness and endurance
the ability to work well with others in a team
excellent verbal communication skills
concentration skills for practical tasks
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
to be flexible and open to change
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
thinking and reasoning skills for making quick decisions
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Depending on your role, you’ll support a part of the service, like:

warfare - operating and maintaining ship’s weapons, electronic and communications systems
engineering - operating, maintaining and refitting ships, submarines and aircraft
logistics - coordinating office, accounting, stores and catering systems
medical - providing a healthcare service for Royal Navy personnel and their families
aviation - making sure aircraft are prepared for action, and giving navigation information based on weather and ocean conditions
submarine service - operating and maintaining submarine weapons, electronic systems and sensors

Working Environment

You could work be based overseas, in a warzone, on a ship or at a military base.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding and outdoors in all weathers.

You may need to wear a uniform and protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression

After you complete your basic training, you can choose to specialise in a particular area. Examples include:

With training and experience you could move up through the ranks and become an officer.

You can go into a wide range of careers after leaving the navy. The Career Transition Partnership, Quest and Troops to Teachers have more information on careers outside the armed forces.

Volunteering Opportunities

You can join the Royal Navy Reserve to get some experience of what life is like in the service, and to learn new skills at the same time. You'll need to be:

between the ages of 16 and 42
able to commit to basic training, including a 2-week course at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall

If you're between 12 and 18 years old, you can join the Sea Cadets.

Tips & Information

Further information

You'll find more details about being a rating from the Royal Navy.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

be a UK, Republic of Ireland or Commonwealth citizen
pass a medical check
have a good level of fitness
be at least 151.5cm tall
pass security checks
pass enhanced background checks