CHIEF ENGINEER III/2 CHANGING CAREER

[MANXMAN]

I would like some advice please.
I am a 45 year old MCA STCW95 III/2Chief Engineer, looking to change career.
I have been Chief on large Superyachts ( up to 55 metres/value to 60 million euro)under full ISM /ISPS for the last 15 years. did my courses at Warsash Maritime college. I also have some commercial experience on container ships and also in shipyards. I am also for what its worth an RYA Yachtmaster ocean and Padi Scuba & Nitrox instructor for over 12 years..
I was an apprentice at Dowty engineering and then worked as a superbike mechanic on Race Machinery for Honda UK superbike team in the early eighties . I have a fair bit of mech. experience and i hope enough knowledge and experience to make the transition to offshore rig work. I have been thinking about ROV pilot /Tech.
I am thinking of taking the Global 3 week course in Portland or the one offered by the ROV training centre but im not sure if this is the right route in ?
Can an experienced hand please give me some useful advice as to which course to take or any alternative route in and the realistic probability of finding a job fairly soon.
I have a pretty good all round Mechanical/Hydraulic knowledge and okay electrical knowledge (440vac 3 phase to 24vDC) but electronics is my weak point.
I would like some constructive advice if possible please !
thankyou in advance to any members who can assist me.
Cheers
Manxman

[SCUBADOUG]

Hey MANXMAN
Save your money on the courses! You are more qualified than 80%+ of the trainees out there with your experience. Just check out this website for info and suggestions on how to put together an offshore cv. Check out the company websites then apply. Follow up with phone calls to the offshore personnel managers and you should have no problem getting in.
All of the experience in rov’s will be on the job! Good luck!

[MANXMAN]

Thanks for the reply ScubaDoug.
Much Appreciated.
Regards
Manxman

[Scott Beveridge]

MANXMAN,

Times are going lean at the moment – unless you’re like some of the plonkers that will work for room & board!!! I suggest to stay away – seriously, this is not a piss take.

[MANXMAN]

Hi Scotbeve
I take the hint cheers.
I was looking at the OIL/GAS/CABLE industry because it is comparable pay to the big yachts game. Im not interested in working for bugger all.I understand the worlds in a bad way and the megarich brigade in the yachting industry are no exception with less jobs around for sure.but it still keeps ticking over and i think people need oil gas and comms more than flashy yachts(ships) !
I keep seeing bold statements by training establishments about the lack of available Rov pilots/techs compared to demand by agencies/companies ? . Is it all bollocks ? I hope not as it seems to me to be a far more interesting and worthwhile job than carting a bunch of rich tossers around the world on a gin palace to be honest ! ( Not that i see much of them as im in the engine room/comtrol room 24/7 !)
Anyway feedback welcome. Thanks

[Scott Beveridge]

People say it’s temporary… Make your own definition of temporary… General consensus is one year. I’ve personally had 6 (now going on 7) lean years out of (going on) 29 years in the ROV industry. 1991 being the worst (only 89 days of work).

Also, due to the lemming-type drop of the pound / offshore rates (GBP payers) still paying the same rates when it was 1 to 2 US$, it’s not very attractive at the moment. I’m sitting til’ I lose an inch or 2 on my waist!

[Ray Shields]

Hi Scotbeve
I take the hint cheers.
I was looking at the OIL/GAS/CABLE industry because it is comparable pay to the big yachts game. Im not interested in working for bugger all.I understand the worlds in a bad way and the megarich brigade in the yachting industry are no exception with less jobs around for sure.but it still keeps ticking over and i think people need oil gas and comms more than flashy yachts(ships) !
I keep seeing bold statements by training establishments about the lack of available Rov pilots/techs compared to demand by agencies/companies ? . Is it all bollocks ? I hope not as it seems to me to be a far more interesting and worthwhile job than carting a bunch of rich tossers around the world on a gin palace to be honest ! ( Not that i see much of them as im in the engine room/comtrol room 24/7 !)
Anyway feedback welcome. Thanks

Is it bollocks? Yes and no.

Yes because they want you to do their course and pay them money. No, there is a shortage of EXPERIENCED guys. There is no shortage, however, of people wishing to start in ROVs.

Read through the forum and make your own mind up on ROV Schools and whether it would be worth it to you. You may feel it would give you more confidence, as long as you realise you do not leave ANY traininh school as a qualified anything.

You will also find that Trainees pay is not very good for the first couple of years so ideally you want to get yourself in at a higher level than Trainee if you can.

I would suggest it might be worth your while to look at doing some electrical/electronic courses or training to up that side of your experience as from what you have put I assume most of it has been more mechanical/hydraulic (or the other way round if most of what you have IS electrical!)

Also, NVQs, SVQs City and Guilds etc. is all useful in any job as opposed to any ROV course which would only count towards an ROV Pilots job.

[MANXMAN]

Thanks for your reply Ray.
I had thought it was deemed to okay to be fairly proficient in one or more departments ie. Mech/Hydraulic or Electronic. as it was a team I suppose i thought you would have an ET specialist as well as Mech/Hyd ? ! anyway I still enjoy learning at the ripe age of 45 so might just do an electronic course as preparation. good advice. cheers.
Actually on that note any advice welcome regarding decent reading material/links useful for for ROV maintenance/repair.
Thanks again to all who have replied. 🙂

[Scott Beveridge]

Thanks for your reply Ray.
I had thought it was deemed to okay to be fairly proficient in one or more departments ie. Mech/Hydraulic or Electronic. as it was a team I suppose i thought you would have an ET specialist as well as Mech/Hyd ? ! anyway I still enjoy learning at the ripe age of 45 so might just do an electronic course as preparation. good advice. cheers.
Actually on that note any advice welcome regarding decent reading material/links useful for for ROV maintenance/repair.
Thanks again to all who have replied. 🙂

Get an HV cert first. Don’t worry about an electronics course as most of the ROV manufacturers have developed the vehicles to be (mostly) data-based. Learn how to use a meter (AVO) properly. NOTE: too many (some of which are very switched on – no pun intended) ET’s that are relatively new in the industry are keen to get into the "guts" of the vehicle (ie: the "electronic pods") when in fact and the majority of the time, any bit that touches seawater SHOULD BE CHECKED FIRST. Duuuoooh! Did I just give us ET geeks away???

[James McLauchlan]

MANXMAN

If you are experienced mechanically then that is a good start and, from day one, this will make you a useful member of any work class team.
With your background you would fit.

Having basic electrical/electronic knowledge will be handy but, as a time served ROV Mech Tech, you are not expected to be a master of both.

I am very wary of people that tell me, when asked, that they are as useful mechanically as they are electrically/electronically. More often than not that is a true indicator that they are pretty average at both and probably were not trained properly in either. There is always room in a team for someone very experienced in one of the two vocations (Mech or Elec) but only bringing with them, in addition, a little knowledge in the other trade.

In general terms I agree with Ray. In the longer term there is, and always will be, a need to introduce experienced tradesmen (Mech or Tech) trainees into the system, but very little need for people from other vocational walks of life that have neither Mech or Elec experience and have only completed an ROV course. The ROV courses on their own simply do not produce what the industry needs by way of experience.

best regards
James Mc

[MANXMAN]

Thank you James , that is an encouraging reply and i appreciate you taking the time to give me the benefit of your experience.
(Thanks scotbeve as well ref: HV cert. good advice.)
Just a couple questions then if i may James ?

SCUBADOUG WROTE:
Save your money on the courses! You are more qualified than 80%+ of the trainees out there with your experience. Just check out this website for info and suggestions on how to put together an offshore cv. Check out the company websites then apply. Follow up with phone calls to the offshore personnel managers and you should have no problem getting in.
All of the experience in rov’s will be on the job! Good luck!

IS IT worthwhile me doing a 3 week ROV course ? i got advice from scubadoug as above ( and I know Ray said to read forums etc and decide but im keen on a second experienced opinion )

If so which company would you recommend?
Is it also feasible then going to agencies as was suggested by the therovtrainingcentre.com to find work as a trainee immediately after course ?
or is it better to try and find employment direct with a company as a trainee and learn "on the job " ? (ie ref scubadoug)

I shall shut the f..k up now …phewwww
😕

[MANXMAN]

😳

ignore most of those questions as i went into FAQ’s and its all there.
THANKS TO ALL WHO REPLIED.
ILL WORK IT OUT FROM NOW.
CHEERS

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