Underwater Centre ROV graduate looking for work

what’s your background? are you enjoying FW? finished mine last yr, Dec 😉

(I think it’s advisable not to post duplicate threads in diff sections… just a tip ;))

🙂

"Graduate"- sounds a bit grander than it is! FW is not a University!

You are completing a course you paid money to do. There, doesn’t that sound better 🙂

Read through all of the threads on here, especially in teh Rookie section; read through the FAQ, format your CV to match the FAQ. Look at Ron’s ROV Links for a complete list of ROV companies and start writing to them.

But of course you must already know who the ROV companies are and have tried applying before spending thousands on the course, surely?

Please be aware that posting a message on here looking for an ROV Trainee you are joining a VERY long queue. And the people with the technical background and experience are higher up the queue than people with an ROV School training course. Good luck anyway.

Very few University Degrees give you suitable hands on basic knowledge. If you get a Degree in Electronics, they do not teach you how to solder for example. I once worked with a Trainee who had a Degree – he had no idea what a spanner was, never mind how to use one. Thats why I feel NVQ/SVQ or HNC level is more useful as a qualification rather than Degree level.

A Degree in Scotland is free for Scottish people (they pay a Graduate Endownment on completion, a one off fee of just over £2000) – a lot cheaper and a lot more prestigious than a piece of paper from FW.

Even better 🙂 I thought it was zero but couldn’t find it on teh Net, must have been an old page I looked at.

They only took the toll off our Bridge cos they were sick of us turning up and refusing to pay 🙂

Out of interest has anyone ever NOT passed their training school course after forking out several thousand pounds. I know there are tests etc. whilst on the course but if no-one ever "fails" it, then what you are doing is getting a certificate of completion rather than passing or graduating.

This question suggests a level of naivity regarding why students are undertaking our courses.

I cannot answer for other training establishments but in answer to your question Ray, we have failed one student and threatened to ‘retire’ several others whilst I have been at The Underwater Centre (Fort William). All these students were sent here (and paid for) by their employers!

The vast majority of our students are self-funding. Virtually all have read this site before coming to The Underwater Centre. Many will have had many months (or even years) to consider carefully what they intend to do. I note the author of this thread first joined ROVworld in December 2006!

Our students do not undertake our courses lightly. For them it is probably one of the biggest investments both in time and money for their future career. They don’t undertake the course with the aim of failing – far from it, they work and study hard, commit themselves to homework in the evenings and weekends, and put in 110% effort. For me, this involves feeding an insatiable appetite for knowledge and makes my job a great pleasure. I don’t think IOMAndy would mind if I said he was an excellent example of such dedication and commitment.

We do have some students who may struggle from time to time, but for these, we provide additional instruction in the evenings and at weekends (sometimes on a one-to-one basis if necessary). As long as a student is making the effort, we will go the extra mile to make them competent. Our students pay money to learn to be competent and to be assessed as such. We go out of our way to ensure this happens. Simple!

Paul Bury
Head of ROV Training & Operations
The Underwater Centre (Fort William) Ltd