What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
For my Leaving Certificate I took the subjects, French, Geography and Business. Prior to applying for my cadetship I found out that I required a Science subject which I took up in my Leaving Certificate.
A lot of my training and education through the Navy todate has been Maths and Science based particularly Physics. If I had a choice again I would have gone down this line in school to give me a better foundation. The subjects I chose just made everything slightly harder.
What is your education to date?
I completed my Leaving Certificate in 2000 and commenced my cadetship. The bulk of a cadetship is academic with numerous exams during the two years on wide ranging subjects such as Applied Nautical Science to Chartwork to Spherical Trigonometry.
On commissioning in 2002 I commenced a three year degree in Nautical Science. I now have a Bsc in Nautical Science from CIT. I also have a Sub Lt Gunnery Officers course completed and my Naval Watch Keeping Certificate.
What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?
All of it is relevant from everything I did in school even subjects that you would not think are relevant such as business. A lot of a gunnery officer’s work at sea is the accountancy of ammunition!
Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?
Yes of course as technology is constantly changing especially in global positioning systems and communications equipment constant training is needed.
Also, courses in health and safety, risk management and human resourses are very important these days.
