Discussion
NM2016 said:
Thanks for the replies.
It seems the I might have a shot at the job but probably not at the minute, I maybe best off holding on for a year or two then looking at it again?
Dunc, from your experience would someone with a back ground like my self be in with a chance or would I be overshadowed by people with an electrical or mechanical back ground?
I guess I would start off at a trainee level then work up to a ROV technician?
Then hopefully supervisor where I presume the bulk of the money is?
As stated in post above, hold off just now.It seems the I might have a shot at the job but probably not at the minute, I maybe best off holding on for a year or two then looking at it again?
Dunc, from your experience would someone with a back ground like my self be in with a chance or would I be overshadowed by people with an electrical or mechanical back ground?
I guess I would start off at a trainee level then work up to a ROV technician?
Then hopefully supervisor where I presume the bulk of the money is?
When the times are good, the energy industry doesn't seem to overlook anyone keen to get stuck in. Partly due to the need for so many people.
Yes people with mech/elec background are preferred but if going for a pilot job you shouldn't feel disadvantaged. Wait and see what happens to the oil price. I know people from a wide variety of backgrounds who now work with ROVs.
I would hold off and use the time before things pick up wisely by putting yourself through more electrically biased qualifications. Your mechanical ones are all sound enough.
I work on ROV's with a subsidiary with one of the biggest subsea companies and can tell you things are getting pretty desperate at the moment. We've lost 40% of our offshore personnel. Contracted days have been cut in half with the equivalent hit on take home pay.
How many will return when/if things improve I don't know. But be aware if things improve, I imagine competition will be very high amongst experienced ROV pilots. Some companies like to take on trainees so it isn't to say the door is totally shut. But at this moment in time it is possibly the worst time in history to get into offshore.
Another piece of advice Id give is not to bother paying for an ROV course and offshore survival off your own back. They work out expensive and don't really appear to carry any weight with reputable employers. They will pay to put you through them should they take you on.
Depending on age a technical trade within the forces seems to be a good way into the industry. It's the route I took and about 60% of my colleagues.
I work on ROV's with a subsidiary with one of the biggest subsea companies and can tell you things are getting pretty desperate at the moment. We've lost 40% of our offshore personnel. Contracted days have been cut in half with the equivalent hit on take home pay.
How many will return when/if things improve I don't know. But be aware if things improve, I imagine competition will be very high amongst experienced ROV pilots. Some companies like to take on trainees so it isn't to say the door is totally shut. But at this moment in time it is possibly the worst time in history to get into offshore.
Another piece of advice Id give is not to bother paying for an ROV course and offshore survival off your own back. They work out expensive and don't really appear to carry any weight with reputable employers. They will pay to put you through them should they take you on.
Depending on age a technical trade within the forces seems to be a good way into the industry. It's the route I took and about 60% of my colleagues.
Don't underestimate the 'away from home' aspect.
I'm 3.2u Inspection Diver i can relate so much. As others have said the market is very bad now. Oil price was around $120 in '14 now it's $48. So companies are scaling back massively on projects. Aberdeen oil producing countries are suffering
So a company like Subsea 7 which i would have been contacting won't probably be interested right now. As far as qualifications, after the course in Fort William, I'd get a 3.3 from TWI. Not cheap but you are definitely at the right age to be looking into it.
Also maybe Dive Technician?
I'm 3.2u Inspection Diver i can relate so much. As others have said the market is very bad now. Oil price was around $120 in '14 now it's $48. So companies are scaling back massively on projects. Aberdeen oil producing countries are suffering
So a company like Subsea 7 which i would have been contacting won't probably be interested right now. As far as qualifications, after the course in Fort William, I'd get a 3.3 from TWI. Not cheap but you are definitely at the right age to be looking into it.
Also maybe Dive Technician?
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff