A Career in Naval Architect

How to become a Naval Architect

Have you ever thought about designing and building you own ship?  If this of interest to you then a career in naval architecture could be for you.  From oil tankers to submarines to recreational boats the naval architect is on board for it all.

A Career in Naval Architecture
A Career in Naval Architects may take you into a wide range of employment. There work is usually found in the following areas:

• Design
• Construction and Repair
• Consultancy
• Marketing and Sales
• Operations
• Regulation, Surveying and Overseeing
• Research and Development
• Education and Training

What Sort Of Person Do I Need To Be To Become A Naval Architect?
A Naval Architect requires a creative, enquiring and logical mind; the ability to communicate clearly in speech and writing with others inside and outside the engineering profession; sound judgment and qualities of leadership. The education and training given to the Naval Architect are designed to develop these skills and to lead him or her to recognised qualifications and professional status.

How Do I Become A Naval Architect?
Usually a naval architect will complete a degree in engineering accredited by one of the official bodies. They will then spend two years training as a naval architect with a company that is accredited by the Royal Institute of Naval Architecture (RINA). After the completion of education and training with a professional there follows a period in which the prospective Naval Architects gain responsible experience in posts which require them to develop and prove fully their technical competence, and to demonstrate a satisfactory range of functions and characteristics such as the exercise of independent technical judgment requiring both practical experience and the application of engineering principles.

A minimum of two years of responsible experience is required and on completion an application should be made to the RINA for transfer to the class of Member or Associate Member, which authorises the use of the letters MRINA or AMRINA after a member's name. Successful candidates for transfer to Member or Associate Member will be offered registration with the EC which authorises them to also use the style or title of Chartered Engineer or Incorporated Engineer and the designatory letters CEng or IEng. Application may also be made by Chartered Engineers to the RINA to use the title of European Engineer (Eur Ing).

Professional Development
As a Chartered Engineer or Incorporated Engineer gains experience, the choice of career widens and after a few years opportunities may occur in many of the areas mentioned earlier. Later a Naval Architect may move from technical to general management to secure senior positions and ultimately directorships. While often regarded as being strictly vocational, engineering can also be an ideal base for a wide variety of careers outside the maritime industry.

For more information on becoming a naval architect contact:
Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA)

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