New year, new start by Training Schools to get people to pay a lot of money to do their courses.
IMCA (International Maritime Contractors Association) is a trade group set up by like minded companies to develop common standards. They are not a Statutory group, they cannot dictate, they are just a bunch of people who decided to band together.
They have produced a leaflet to assist people who wish to join the ROV industry, it is available at http://www.imca-int.com/documents/careers/IMCA-Careers-wtb-ROVPilotTechnician.pdf
Note that they say:
Generally there are no statutory requirements for ROV personnel to have particular qualifications.
However, IMCA has published guidance entitled Entry level requirements and basic introductory course for remotely operated vehicle (ROV) personnel (IMCA R 002, as revised) which may be regarded as an appropriate minimum standard.
Training courses are available at a number of schools which allow newcomers to the industry to learn the basics and hopefully to comply with at least IMCA R 002. However, none of these courses is formally required as a prerequisite by any employers, and they will normally not be accepted as a basis for employment unless the person has the sort of background and
qualifications described above. IMCA recommends that individuals discuss their own employment prospects with contractors before going on a training course.
Many of the larger ROV contractors train personnel in-house, allowing them to focus training on a particular area of commercial interest. A number of independent training establishments offer more general or other specialised training.
Also:
There is no world-wide approval system for training providers
Many Training Schools like to imply (some don’t even do that, they blatantly lie!) that you MUST do their courses to get a job offshore. Worse, some in the past have said they are CERTIFIED by IMCA, something which is obviously not true as IMCA do not certify anyone. Also these courses are ENTRY LEVEL, you do not walk out of a Training School as an ROV Pilot, no matter what they tell you or how many shiny bits of paper they give you.
That said, Training Schools do have their place, it is up to an individual to decide whether it is value for money for them to pay for such a course, as long as they do so without all the sales blurb and some downright lies.
IMCA say what I have always said to anyone wishing to join the ROV industry:
Employers normally require ROV personnel to have a good background in electronics or hydraulics. Candidates who do not have formal qualifications (academic, trade or in the armed forces) in one of these areas are unlikely to be considered.
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