Navy People: A Change in Career
25 November 2007
Name: Nicholas Stephenson
Age: 35
Partner: Single
Current Residence: Safety Bay
Hometown: Tea Tree Gulny, Adelaide, SA
Parents still reside in Tea Tree Gully.
Local Paper: Messenger
Name of High School: Modbury Heights High School. Completed up to year 11
Sports: State Badminton as a Junior. Archery, Golf.
Motivation/Date Of Enlistment/Career Training: Nicolas joined the Navy at age 31 looking for a Change in Career after 12 years working in a Bakery as Baker/Pastry Cook.
Date of Enlistment: April 04
Career Training: Initial 11 weeks Recruit School training at HMAS Cerberus, Crib Point Melbourne Victoria
Followed by 40 weeks at the Engineering Faculty HMAS Cerberus.
First Posting: Nicolas was first posted for 7 weeks onboard HMAS Kanimbla, then posted to HMAS Adelaide (II) in January 2006 and remains apart of the Ship’s Company until Decommissioning early 2008.
Qualifications: As a Marine Technician Electrical Cert 1V. Now with a Full Auxillary Machinary Operational Certificate, which took 14 months to achieve.
Job Role: Nicolas’ specific job requirement is on the Electrical aspect of the Engineering Trade.
“I have a great interest in Mechanical Egineering, I enjoy it.”
Watch-Keeping Nicolas’ responsibilities are to conduct running machinery rounds in all the Machinery Spaces.
Day Hand Duties: responsible to the Leading hand of the work shop, anything from cleaning and assisting other engineers’ in any requirements that occur.
Training: All categories commence a Competency Log book for gradual skill assessments. Marine Technicians are assessed on in harbour watchkeeping Certificate, Auxillary Systems Maintainer (Now called Marine Systems Technician). Now studying for future roles.
Input: “I have a say with regards to menu settings. Sometimes discussions on how to improve in certain recipe’s and time management.”
Rewards and Recognition: “I love learning new things. I enjoy bringing equipment back to life”
“I like that when something malfunctions it’s a good feeling to fix it”
Future Aspirations: “I’m aiming to achieve a promotion in 2008 to Leading Seaman.”
“The Navy always has a lot of options to consider, at the moment I am happy to just remain focused on Engineering Skill at this time”
Social Interaction: “Being in my environment there is a lot of youthful energy which is priceless to have around, especially at Sea.”
“I work in a team environment, we all try to keep the motivation up and the guys are really easy to get along with”
Why Nicolas loves his job: “It sure beats baking!!!”
“I am given an opportunity to pursue a career in the mechanical trade, something I have always wanted to do”
“I have a real great pride in the Navy, I will be going back to Tea Tree Gully, where I spent 20 years of my life growing up. I will be attending the Anzac Day Ceremony next year, standing by the War Memorial in uniform in the Navy for the first time”
Work/Life balance: “At present I have had 8 months of each of the last 2 years at sea.”
“I will posting ashore apon HMAS Adelaide's Deccommisioning , so this will give me the chance to catch up on lost time and recharge the batteries.”
Deployments:
Malaysia 2007
Around Australia Tip 2006
Christmas Island 2006-07
Timor 2006
Singapore 2007
Cambodia 2007
Thailand 2007
India 2007
What makes this Deployment Good: “I left Adelaide as a 26 year old on a train for the West as a Baker, not knowing what the future would hold. Now, 10 years later I am sailing into Adelaide (my home town) as a Marine Technician Electrical Sailor in the RAN. A significant degree of pride is attached to that."
