Fort William

[Ray Shields]

The Electronic SVQs you earn at FW by doing the additional Electronics course:-

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Module 1 – Electronics Understanding and Fault-Finding Skills (OPTIONAL)

This four-week course introduces the basics of electronics, leading students up to fault finding to component level on circuits found in commercially available ROVs.

Module 1 (SQA E9RT 04) – Electronic fundamentals
Module 2 (SQA E9S9 11) – Introduction to electronic test, equipment and measurements
Module 3 (SQA EC2Y 11) – Electrical installation
Module 4 (SQA EE9K 12) – Fault diagnostics on basic electronic circuits
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EE9K 12, for example, counts as 1 credit out of the 20 credits required for and SGA in Engineering:Practise (Higher).

I would also disagree with their statement that "leading students up to fault finding to component level on circuits found in commercially available ROVs". Most ROVs now have multi-layer PCBs with surface mount components and the majority of newer ROVs are only repaired to board level as opposed to component level.

This 4 week course cannot be compared with doing a 1 year SVQ at a college. You can drive a car in 7 days by attending an intensive training course, does this mean in week 2 you can then safely drive on a busy motorway in the pissing rain? 🙂

I am not against ANY training school (I know we seem to be concentrating on FW, but there are many others), there is a place within the offshore industry for them.

As long as they are used in the correct way, by suitably experienced people. And that this is a familiarisaion course, not a training course.

FW’s own website states that "Highly experienced electronic engineers may be able to join the course at the start of week 5 and complete an ROV Pilot Technician course." i.e. after completing the electronics course.

Also "Students completing the course are likely to be employed as a base technician with an ROV. They then progress to an offshore role on a smaller ROV or become a junior member of an 8-man team working with a larger ROV."

This, I feel is fair enough, but are they being told by people during the course, or prior to taking the course, that they are now fully competent to work offshore? If so, then this is definately not right.

There are a few statements on their website which can be misleading "The salary rates vary based on demand, from £150 per man day to £450 per man day. Experience and supervision qualities also affect that day rate. Some large ROV companies employ staff on a full-time basis, while others employ purely on a day-rate basis, for "job done". Annual salaries can be up to £60,000, dependent upon competence, experience, supervisory level and number of offshore days worked. Career prospects range from junior ROV technicians to offshore party chief. Progress to that latter position can take from three to five years"

Party Chief from Trainee ROV in 5 years??? Quoting up to £450 a day is also misleading, they aint going to get that for years.

They also mention their "huge onshore glass-walled training pool ". Last time I seen it, it was not in use and looking rather derelict.

[ionicwings]

They also mention their "huge onshore glass-walled training pool ". Last time I seen it, it was not in use and looking rather derelict.

oh maybe that was a long time ago since I always see student divers using that pool. 😉

[Ray Shields]

They also mention their "huge onshore glass-walled training pool ". Last time I seen it, it was not in use and looking rather derelict.

oh maybe that was a long time ago since I always see student divers using that pool. 😉

Last April. The MD gave us a tour round, he said they were going to get it up and running sometime in the future but needed money to do it. Guess all those £10k’s people are paying has given him enough 🙂

[downthere]

Frankly the qualifications of some of the people coming into the industry is laughable.

Myself and 5 or 6 other started off as Survey Techs (with degrees in Electronics) about 10 yers ago and proved ourselves in that field for a year or so before being allowed to cross dress.

All of us are now involved at a senior level I can’t see the same happening with some most of the recent recruits. They are lacking in technical ability.

[suby]

I think this is the case with with a lot of the less developed company’s out there, its a quick numbers and fill the gaps gig. On the other hand some of the larger boys in the field are picking better qualified personal that have a trade behind them and have lots of sea time, they are also running them through technical exams before hand which is a good way to start sorting everyone out. 😀

[rovjas]

i must be doin something wrong!!! I did the FW course a year ago and I cant get work!!! I dont have a formal qualification but I have a background as a race mechanic for a kart team and my previous job was working with plant equipment in oil/fuel depots.

I now even have 2 month offshore expierence working with GEO. I know 2 month isnt alot but its more than most ppl coming out of FW have.

Not a happy boy, I’ve sent off CV’s AGAIN to all the compnaies and fallowed them up with phone calls and I never get a straight answer. 😥

[Black Dog]

ROV

[Black Dog]

ROV

[Ray Shields]

I did the D32 Assessors course some years back. Cant remember anything about it tho.

We are members of IMCA but none of us were grandparented in to anything (grandfathered is sexist apparently, next it will be grandnon-gendered!). People are given logbooks, who looks at them? Who is signing them off? Someone who is called yoru Supervisor? But is he competent to assess your competency.

I have had 4 annual appraisals in 13 years 😛

[Scott Beveridge]

Frankly the qualifications of some of the people coming into the industry is laughable.

Myself and 5 or 6 other started off as Survey Techs (with degrees in Electronics) about 10 yers ago and proved ourselves in that field for a year or so before being allowed to cross dress.

All of us are now involved at a senior level I can’t see the same happening with some most of the recent recruits. They are lacking in technical ability.

Yes, you are quite right! 😀

I find it strange that on the Survey side, the Tech’s have been highly qualified and poorly paid! 😕 The ‘cross dressing’ thing is something you better keep to yourself! 😛 🙄 😉

If IMCA was truly serious about competency it would follow the UK-SPEC standard for it’s Technicians. Which is what the rest of the Engineering Industry do! 😯

On the subject of competency. Has anyone be actually done any Assessor Training?
I was Grandfathered into the competency scheme as a ROV Supervisor. We where told that we where going to do a City & Guild’s in Assessor Training, but suprise, suprise, it never happened! 😡

❓ ❓

Black,

Why does it HAVE to be UK-SPEC?? Why couldn’t be a group of intl ol’ farts which have nothing more to do than NOT look at all the tonnes of paperwork and instead, eat cuke-puke sannies during their crikky touneys. No wait… let’s have a round of 36 holes today instead… Assess this!

[Ray Shields]

cos our specs are better than yours – even our TV has 100 more lines 😀 😀 😀

[SGB]

Quote from The UK Engineering Council Website

Within Europe ECUK is involved in three over-arching professional organisations -ESOEPE, FEANI and EurEta – and in discussions with the European Commission.

Outside of Europe ECUK is involved with four professional body agreements – the Washington Accord, Sydney Accord, Dublin Accord and International Register of Professional Engineers – and with two government sponsored initiatives – APEC Engineer Register and the Transatlantic Economic Partnership.

The process of registration is relatively straight forward, providing you meet the required criteria.
Normally to call yourself an Engineer you must be registered as an CEng or IEng. If you are not registered you shouldn’t call yourself an Engineer.
These are internationally agreed guidelines and prevents improper use of the title Engineer.

Companies should encourage registration and not downgrade the title by bestowing it on anyone not qualified. If the popular belief of anyone who can use a spanner is an Engineer then anyone who can put a plaster on is a Doctor!

The standards are linked below for CEng, IEng and EngTech
http://www.engc.org.uk/ukspec/ukspec_standards.aspx

[Black Dog]

ROV

[Black Dog]

ROV

[rovjas]

i must be doin something wrong!!! I did the FW course a year ago and I cant get work!!! I dont have a formal qualification but I have a background as a race mechanic for a kart team and my previous job was working with plant equipment in oil/fuel depots.

There is the answer to your problem! ❗ Try your local Technical College or COLU.

Race mechanic for a kart team! 😀 Nice hobby.
ROV’s don’t use the internal combustion engine and the fixing the brakes doesn’t make you a hydraulic technician. 😯

Try a studying for ONC (SVQ3 level) in Electrical & Electronics OR Mechatronics OR Hydraulics. These are the disciplines that are in short supply in the ROV industry.

The problem is every numpty that has no trade (skill) in the ROV industry is Mechanical (ex-diver mentality! 😡 ).
This means that the ROV industry is overflowing with Mechanical people, so you are less likely to get taken on.

It also is incredibly disrespectful to people who are qualified in a Mechanical Engineering. A proper Mechanical technician is a good asset.
Remember that ROV work is multi-disciplined. Keep this in mind when applying for college courses and writing your CV. 😀

you give me a spanner and I will beable to do the work!!!!!!

I wouldnt call racing and mechanicing at british and european championship level a hobby

[Author]

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