Considering a move into ROV work

[Gavin McCulloch]

Sorry to resurrect such an old and seemingly hammered topic!

I am considering a move into ROV work having worked as a service engineer in semiconductors, renewable energy and water supplies. There seems to be a bit of a negative vibe on this forum regarding moving into ROV work but I think it would suit me based on my background, that I’ve no ties and am willing to travel.

I have read through the previous posts / FAQ’s and done some research calling companies / training centres etc, but I’d like to hear from you guys what you think. Nothing better, in my opinion, than hearing things from those who actually do the job. The main recruitment companies I’ve talked to seemed reasonably upbeat. So if anyone can answer the following it would be very helpful to me in deciding whether to take the plunge:

Is the industry showing signs of improvement?

Are there other offshore jobs that are booming? The piloting aspect of ROV work appeals – is there anything else equivalent?

There is good advise on the forum as to whether it is best to self-train or get sponsored training (generally condeming the self train route!), but if I were to risk self-training where is best to go? I’m in Scotland but would consider anywhere in Europe. Has anyone on the forum been to the Underwater Centre in Ft Bill? Was it helpful?

I’d be interested to know what proportion of the work is in piloting and what proportion is in fault finding / servicing?

It sounds like to job can fluctuate between boredom piloting and stressful fault finding – true?

How technical is the job with respect to fault recovery in electronics? Are most units modular and hence just a switch out, or is fault finding at board level?

Lots of questions, sorry if I’ve missed them in previous posts, so many thanks in advance for any info guys.

[ROVSKI]

Good on you for doing some research before posting. The course wont be much help, your previous experience is worth a lot more combined with a good attitude and persistence. The most cost effective way is to hit the ROV companies in Aberdeen if you want to try your hand. There is not many positions available for new starts at the moment as there are plenty of experienced people underemployed right now and their punting themselves out cheap.
It was once a good game to be in and a living was there to be had. Now its a game of diminishing returns, the rates are heading lower with the oversupply of ROV personnel in the UK. Its a race to the bottom as people undercut each other. Even if you do get a start it will be for a dismal pay and no guarantees of lots of days. With the rates going so low for experienced people I would doubt it would be worth working offshore as a trainee for a couple of years for less than a nurse when there’s no trade off of a decent income later.

All that said good luck.

[Gavin McCulloch]

Thanks for that Rovski. It certainly sounds pretty dismal. Though I hear nurses are pretty well paid nowadays!

Another question I haven’t seen posted is much more holistic – is it an enjoyable job? What is the ‘craic’ like? Sometimes that can be all that matters in a job. Is it a hell-hole of a job – boring you to death doing mundane work alone for hours and stratospherically stressful trying to fix something in the North Sea freeze? On the otherhand perhaps it is very satisfying and enjoyably challenging whilst having a good laugh with your colleague(s) at the same time?

That is as much to consider as anything imho.

Anyone like to advise?

[Ray Shields]

Offshore people are the biggest bitching, backstabbing, moaning people in the world.

But that’s just because we have so much time on our hands 😀 😀

Nowadays most repairs are barely down to replacing a board, long gone are the days of finding an oscilloscope on a system (and then trying to find someone who knows how to use one!)

Even if you did a course at a Training School, you would still be taken on as a Trainee, NOT a Pilot tech. This is the main reason so many people say it is a waste of time (and especially money, and as you have the technical background what you need to know you will learn on the job)

As has been said, there are a LOT of people trying to get into the industry, more people, less spaces. If you read stories such as the debacles in the thread about a hydraulic pump, you will see ability appears to bear no correlation with getting a job 🙁

Other jobs offshore include Subsea Engineer, or engineering jobs onboard the rig itself, personally I would consider one of those before ROVs these days.

[ROVSKI]

@ Abominable, As a job per say there are good and bad aspects. It can be fun sometimes and torture other times. I for one have some very fond memories of different adventures but they are from a long time ago and my memories probably don’t resemble the reality of the time, just the musing of a getting crankier old man. I also have memories of being on a tiny stinking little ships with bad food, sharing a room for three other men snoring away (and a bathroom with 20 others) whilst the ship rocked and rolled like you can not believe, lying in my bunk night after night with no sleep wondering what the f**** I am doing with my life. Thinking this is the perfect torture machine. Even prisoners get a room that doesn’t rock, they have more recreational facilities and get to sleep at night time instead of working 6pm to 6 am. The ONLY thing that sustained me was the relatively good pay at the time and the things I would do with it when I was free again. I am grateful for the opportunities that I made for my self by saving my dough and becoming financially independent to a large degree (just enjoyed a year off with my new family). I consider it a fair trade off for the years of servitude I gave to the oil companies.
As with most things in life timing is everything, fifteen to twenty years ago it was a good time to become a ROV guy, fifteen years ago it was a good time to get into property in the UK, both are yesterdays news and their time is over. In my humble opinion most of the "old salts are glad they worked offshore at the least the ones that didn’t give all their money to x wives, but I am sure few would recommend that their own children follow in their footsteps. The party is over and the unspoken costs of a life offshore and the disruptions to your social and family lives are not adequately compensated anymore. Personally I am happy with the choices I made but can assure you I would not consider a "future" as a ROV guy if I was a young man (or not so young man) seeking good fortune and adventure today. You have to give up so many personal freedoms to work offshore and their is no payback anymore.
All that said good luck with what ever you decide.

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