Commerscial courses

[aquarius]

I understand on the forums on this webpage that I am making a mistake by taking a course in ROV Pilot/Technician (3 Weeks).

I fully understand that it is not as good as in-house training, but can anyone tell me if he has succeded after taking a comercial course + the course in electronics (4 Weeks)

I am planning to take the courses at The Underwatercentre at Fort William in Inverness.

Does anyone have any experience, good or bad, from The Underwatercentre?

I am villing to study very hard to get qualyfied to my first job where I will work wery hard to get experience.

I am from the Faroe Islands, and the only relevant working experience is 6-7 years at sea. (Faroese and Norvegiean fishing wessels)

[Anderre]

You´ll probably going to hear a bunch of old farts going off about this course beeing nothing but a waste of money and that this course will not make you a pilot/tech (i´ll come back to that later).
I for one don´t think it is a waste. If you have some kind of technical understanding and preferably some education in either electrical og mechanical disciplines, you are not completely in the rough.
I´m currently at TUC from Fugro Norway since Fugro have started to build up a new "in house" training regime. The instructors here are NOT "burnt out" supervisors or people who finally managed to get NRB´d from all companies around. The centre operates two SeaEye Falcons and will aquire/lend an old Scorpion next week to start a short introduction week to WROV´s

BUT: This course will NOT make you a pilot. It is an INTRODUCTION to the ROV industry. It gives you the basics to start of on your right foot on ROV training out there. But you are NOT guaranteed a seat after this course, but if you make a good impression and give it 100% here, I think you get a fair chance of getting out there given that you have some kind of formal technical education and keep knocking on doors. But beware that you will meet a lot of "know it all´s" out there who has forgotten that they once were new in this game… Do as you are told, absorb all information you come over and be patient. You´ll probably spend lots of time on the winch, painting, making tea etc before you get on the sticks

Good luck

[Axeman]

Yeah Good luck, take whatever you can from the course; t-shirts, caps, pencils 😆

I reckon we should get a few old farts from here to start a special "on-line" ROV course for trainee’s;

Trainee Course content;

Keeping your gob shut
Learning how little you know after two years
Keeping your gob shut
Making coffee and tea
101 reasons to take more than $50 euro when working overseas
Why getting drunk and not showing up for work on time is a real winner
How to blame someone else for your f%$#K-UPs
101 reasons to give as to why you can’t fly the ROV
Why you’re a mechanical tech if the problem is electrical
Why you’re a hydraulic if the problem is mechanical
Why you’re a Supv if the problem involves hyd oil, getting dirty
Keeping your gob shut
more ???

Course fee;
Euro $10000 for 12 hrs,
Really big certificate with lots of fancy penmenship, red wax and red ribbon
more ???

[Cabledog]

Maybe one day everyone else that flys an rov will know as much as you. 😳 😳

Can I assume that you had a drink from the fountain on knowledge when you where a kid and knew all you ever needed to know with out having to receive any kind of training or help along the way. 🙄 😯

How do you mange to get that heed through a hatch or along the passage way without the use of a good lime based grease 😆

Be good,
Dog

[Ray Shields]

You´ll probably going to hear a bunch of old farts going off about this course beeing nothing but a waste of money and that this course will not make you a pilot/tech (i´ll come back to that later).
I for one don´t think it is a waste. If you have some kind of technical understanding and preferably some education in either electrical og mechanical disciplines, you are not completely in the rough.
I´m currently at TUC from Fugro Norway since Fugro have started to build up a new "in house" training regime. The instructors here are NOT "burnt out" supervisors or people who finally managed to get NRB´d from all companies around. The centre operates two SeaEye Falcons and will aquire/lend an old Scorpion next week to start a short introduction week to WROV´s

BUT: This course will NOT make you a pilot. It is an INTRODUCTION to the ROV industry. It gives you the basics to start of on your right foot on ROV training out there. But you are NOT guaranteed a seat after this course, but if you make a good impression and give it 100% here, I think you get a fair chance of getting out there given that you have some kind of formal technical education and keep knocking on doors. But beware that you will meet a lot of "know it all´s" out there who has forgotten that they once were new in this game… Do as you are told, absorb all information you come over and be patient. You´ll probably spend lots of time on the winch, painting, making tea etc before you get on the sticks

Good luck

Anderre,

I think if you check through the posts on the website you will find that the comments from "old farts" were the course is not worth it if you do not already have a technical background.

And aquarius did not mention any technical background, he said he has worked on fishing vessels for the last 6-7 years, does he have any electrical, electronic or hydraulic qualifications or experience? Without that, just doing the introduction course as you described it, the chances of a job afterwards are slim.

If you do not have the technical background, you are better off concentrating on that FIRST, and then, maybe after, do an ROV training course. In the past, some of these schools have tried to basically say no matter who you are, do our course and you will become an ROV Pilot and get a job offshore – obviously something that is unterue.

Out of interest, can you tell us how much was in the course that covered fibre optics, underwater tooling/ROV tooling in general, and hydraulics?

Fugro already had an in-house ROV introduction programme, it had been running successfully since 1997 in Aberdeen. It was only in May this year that G-ROV took over the training and decided to scrap it and just use Fort William.

[Anderre]

Anderre,

I think if you check through the posts on the website you will find that the comments from "old farts" were the course is not worth it if you do not already have a technical background.

And aquarius did not mention any technical background, he said he has worked on fishing vessels for the last 6-7 years, does he have any electrical, electronic or hydraulic qualifications or experience? Without that, just doing the introduction course as you described it, the chances of a job afterwards are slim.

If you do not have the technical background, you are better off concentrating on that FIRST, and then, maybe after, do an ROV training course. In the past, some of these schools have tried to basically say no matter who you are, do our course and you will become an ROV Pilot and get a job offshore – obviously something that is unterue.

Out of interest, can you tell us how much was in the course that covered fibre optics, underwater tooling/ROV tooling in general, and hydraulics?

Fugro already had an in-house ROV introduction programme, it had been running successfully since 1997 in Aberdeen. It was only in May this year that G-ROV took over the training and decided to scrap it and just use Fort William.

Rayshields:
I think you and I are saying the same ting in different words … I did not say that Aquarious had a good chance no matter his background, but if he had some technical education, he could have his day "out there"

I basicly wrote this post to stir up some of the guys on this forum that grab every chance to slag off newbees. I often wonder if some of the most active "negative" users have been ill-threated by the guys training them during the good old days and feel that they need to do the same now with "their" newbees?

I beleive in giving everybody a fair chance to prove themselves before they are reduced to teamakers etc…. But by the sound of it, every new guy out there needs to be put in place and needs to know how little he is worth before he will be trained. Is that so?

And if I think that a question asked by a newbee is stupid, I keep on browsing without paying it any attention, instead of telling the poor bloke to fu** off and don´t come back until he has learned to shut up

But I see the problem for many newbee-posts: Many of them is answered up and down several times and could easily have been answered by simply spending an hour browsing the Rookie-corner….

When it comes to TUC course at Fort Bill, I can´t tell how much they learn there on hydraulics, fibres and tools, since Fugro has put together their own topics that should be covered.
– Maybe some ex-students who did the whole course can sey something here?

Roger

[SpearROV]

Please tell me if there is a platform sunk off Fort William and a machine has been installed to generate a current 😀

[Andy Shiers]

I think There is a need for new blood in the industry , and I will not shy away from teaching all I know 😀
but I do not believe you can teach someone on a course what you can only teach them offshore 😕
As for tea making and going on the winch , It’s called Apprentiship
( Do as your told , watch ,assist and learn )
What I disagree with is the ridiculous amount of money that these "Training schools" are screwing out of the newbees on the premise of becoming a "ROV pilot" ‘You will earn X amount of money straight away
BOLLOCKS 😡
Maybe if the Oil and ROV companies were to invest in the training schools for FREE like say…………………. A grant 🙂
One week on an abandoned platform in say ……………BP’s Villages field or Morecombe Bay
People who have X amount of qualifications apply here………………..
Anybody with the flying skills and know how gets a ticket 😀
Then I would respect these "Training Schools"
😀

[Axeman]

The fountain of knowledge is available to all, I could lead you, but like a lot of people I can’t make you learn.

It’s a shame to hear the Fugro training programme has been suspended, I know it is not a good long term decision. Companies like OI have been doing in-house training for years, it has paid off. Others like Sonsub are getting their head around it with investments in highly priced simulators (and they are excellent).

Commercial ROV Training schools to date have been out to make money on new industry entrants. I have a low opinion of them. They could do much to improve their image. Offering ongoing training in conjunction with ROV companies would seem a logical course followed by other industries.

Old Farts (persons usually you’re senior for good reason) are expected to do a job AND bear the burden of persons without a trade, without basic work ethic’s and provide them with "in-house" training. It is a task done without thanks, particularly where the outcome results in a NRB.

ROV companies have taken a "bums on seats" approach as of late. The most basic adherence to an entry selection process done and followed with a stint of 2-3 months in the ROVworkshops would prevent 7 out of 10 losers going offshore.

In the future ROV companies investing in a “bums on seat” approach as opposed to professionally run training programmes will reap the rewards of those choices. I am amused by the current resurgence of loyalty bonuses as opposed to training allowances.

💡 Idea 💡 – offer an annual training bonus for employees only to use.

Failure to filter out bottom feeders, provide ongoing training has meant many morons are allowed to gain basic flying skills and become "ROV Techs" where they rely for years on others good nature and friendship to support them. The real cost of allowing fishermen, pizza delivery boys, etc to enter your profession will far exceed the cost of training.

Aquarius like others use an Avatar so they are provided with enough PPE to endure a little harsh and truthful criticism – if others feel offended…tough titty.

😈 Axeman 😈

[Andy Shiers]

😆

[Ray Shields]

When it comes to TUC course at Fort Bill, I can´t tell how much they learn there on hydraulics, fibres and tools, since Fugro has put together their own topics that should be covered.
– Maybe some ex-students who did the whole course can sey something here?

Roger

I thought you said you were currently doing the Fugro course at Fort William? Its what Fugro are teaching them on these subjects is what I was enquiring about.

[Andy Shiers]

The plot thickens 😀

[LukeD]

Anderre or Andrea , you sound like someone who has just got into the Industry yourself !
Somehow the words of wisdom you say are pretty thin when coming from a ‘Green horn’

[Ray Shields]

Or the thick plottens??

I would agree that some newbies on here do get a bit of stick, however this is mainly when they come on and post a message along the lines of "I’ve read all there is, how do I become an ROV Pilot" or some other similar question which, if they had been bothered reading the rest of the messages, has been answered at least every few days on here.

This site has been extremely useful for many people wishing to get into the ROV market, I’m quite sure more people have been helped than have been put down.

For those people who have or already work offshore, you will recognise what is taken as humour in many of the messages on here. For the rest of the world, they struggle to understand offshore life 🙂
This site is a global (mainly anonymous) offshore coffee shop where a lot of bitching and moaning takes place.

Many companies are sending out more and more trainees. Crews are relying more and more on less experienced people. The Supervisor is there primarily to do the job for the client. They don not always have the time to teach people, do the job AND keep the ROV operational. Many people also have never been trained in how to teach. Knowing how to do a job doesn not mean you know how to explain it very well to someone else.

"old farts" are the people with the skills and knowledge that need to be passed on to the new people. Slagging them off will not make them pass that knowledge on, and most of what they know cannot be taught in a classroom or ROV training school.

[Anderre]

I thought you said you were currently doing the Fugro course at Fort William? Its what Fugro are teaching them on these subjects is what I was enquiring about.

And I tought you wondered about the commertial course …
– Tooling: None
– Fibres: Brief introduction
– Hydraulics: Brief introduction and knowledge of BS symbols

And yes, I´m spanking new to this industry with only a year under my belt.
Fugro has by the way been good to me, so that it isn´t why I´m complaining

The plot suddenly dilluted (is that even an English word?)
– Appreciate your contructive replies by the way, Rayshields

Anderre

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