Gareth Reid is an aircraft engineer currently serving in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Ocean. He has been studying for a GCSE to enhance his promotion prospects.
“As a serving member of the Royal Navy it is hard to find a course provider who can deliver a service which takes into account your deployment. When a friend directed me to the services offered by The Marine Society College of the Sea I had reservations as I was due to set sail for the Caribbean for a year.
My reservations were dramatically crushed after I had enrolled and my studying went smoothly up to the time for examinations. As the ship entered Trinidad all I could think about was my upcoming exam and that the papers would be in the mail.
My Education Officer then informed me that the papers were not in the mail drop as expected. I immediately emailed The Marine Society College of the Sea and became concerned that I would not be able to sit the exam after all. I had no need to be concerned however as I received an email back from the Education Manager explaining that an electronic copy of the papers would be sent to the Education Officer onboard HMS Ocean on the morning of the exam and I would be able to sit the exam as planned. This was indeed a massive relief for me as this exam would shape my future career!
I have the utmost appreciation to The Marine Society College for the Sea and indeed for the extreme dedication to provide an excellent service no matter what! Thank you.
Tim Clifton – underwater student
All learners with The Marine Society College of the Sea are extraordinary on account of the challenges to supported self-study posed by their lifestyle as a seafarer, but it’s true to say some are more unusual than others.
And this is most certainly the category into which Tim Clifton falls. For Tim’s workplace is in the driving seat of one of Britain’s four strategic missile submarines.
Enrolled for GCSEs in English and Business Studies, the pattern of Tim’s deployments means he is not in touch with the world outside his submarine for 14 weeks at a time. So special arrangements have been put in place to accommodate his circumstances, including making sure he has sufficient work to keep him going for his long underwater voyages.
Tim, currently serving as Chief Petty Officer (Coxswain) in the 15,980 tonne HMS Vigilant, sat GCSE English in May and, after Business Studies, hopes to move on to a study of law.
MSSC Director of Education Brian Thomas commented:
“Tim is not the first or indeed the only learner we have serving in the UK’s strategic deterrent nuclear boats, but the way we have worked with him to get him through the course and undertake the examination just goes to show how flexible our arrangements can be. There’s no doubt that without our assistance there is no way Tim would be able to get the qualifications he seeks for promotion to Warrant Officer.”