Greetings

[Marcel]

Greetings,

Yes another newbie and yes one curious about this field. I’ve scoured the faq’s as instructed and searched for relevant data but I’m still at a loss whether I have a possible background fit to pursue working with ROV’s as a career.

My background is that of a Broadcast Engineer starting in 1986 with closed circuit security systems, combat camera videographer/engineer, television/radio chief engineer and so on. Without going into it in too much boring detail, my background includes various formats and transport such as RF, microwave, baseband, fiber and ethernet file transport.

Extensive electro/mechanical troubleshooting and repair as well as multilayer PC board troubleshooting repair with all the fancy equipment that goes with it all.

System design for portable broadcast productions.

Media storage systems and networked sharing for editing systems and distribution.

Satellite uplink/downlink systems.

For the past several years I have been a Project Manager and consultant for broadcasters employing robotic camera systems and network automation, file sharing and multimedia applications using every compression format available as well as all the Systems integration that goes with it all.

I have always thought my path into this field was to work through the trenches of commercial diving (not that that wouldn’t be fun) but I see from the information on this site that it doesn’t have to be so.

So my question is….. do I have a valuable background that might be an asset for the ROV market.

What additional training might I need and who might offer it?

At 42 years old but still in very good shape, I am wanting a career change. I don’t mind starting off at the bottom rung as long as I’m working on something exciting (and this seems like a perfect fit for me).

Your valuable opinion and expertise would be greatly appreciated….

Thank you

[Anonymous]

To be a perfect candidate you need to be an indentured apprentice in either Electical / Hydrualics. Have a good past experience in industrial or forces environment. Be qualified to at B-Tec or higher HNC.

Most important be happy to lose your social life wife & Kids!

So are you qualified ? You tell us 😀

BTW what does a broadcast engineer do?

[Allan Lawson]

Well mate. I was told I was the best trainee the underwater centre had ever seen and I’m expecting to be knocking back the offers.

Maybe you could do the course and then you can guage if you are suitable, but to be honest, at your age I don’t think you have much chance. Sorry.

[James McLauchlan]

Knocking jobs back? Yeah right 😉

but to be honest, at your age I don’t think you have much chance. Sorry.

Re: Ill informed quote (above) from someone who may well be offshore already, WOW, and have more time on their hands than normal.

The facts.
At 42 the OP is roughly 23 years away from retirement! That puts him around half way through his expected working life.
He’s also got tech background!

According to the Oil & Gas UK demographics report for 2009 released 4 November 2010

The average age of UK offshore workers is 40.4 years old

The scenario:
So…. given the OP’s quoted experience, and if he has the right mindset, plus he is just over the average age for an offshore worker, in my mind, he would be suitable.

There are SAT divers in their 50’s working offshore, and people in numerous other trades working through to retirement, so don’t think for a moment ROV is limited to being a ‘young’ persons job.

Who is suitable?
I can see reason in knocking people back that have no tech background and have just completed an ROV course, but to knock someone back that clearly has plenty of technical experience (much needed offshore) who possibly may not have ‘formal’ qualifications or for being in their early 40’s is ill informed to say the least!

[Sit Rep]

Abnormal,

I would think that you probably have what it takes technically (small team, remote areas, relying on own knowledge and sparse resources).

There seems to be a Generation Y response above which I’d take with a pinch of the proverbial ( a lot of these younger types are "plug and pray" and couldn’t find their arse with both hands).

In my opinion mature workers are better suited technically and temperamentally (they don’t miss Mummy or the games console).

Good luck

[Allan Lawson]

Times are changing sitrep69 and it’s time for the deadwood to move over i’m afraid.

[Scott Beveridge]

Number 1, (the avatar says it all (windup?)) sitrep made a serious statement when he said plug & pray. Please do not make such broad sweeping statements – you’ll find yourself pleading on your knees for work instead of "knocking work back" ( 😕 😕 😕 😆 😆 😆 ) Have a long read back through the ages of these esteemed (well, okay, might be giving James and Gina a extra plug here – heh, heh) pages, and see the "who’s whom" here and …. oh….. wait for it…… who is still working with ease (for the most part…). In other words, ones success equates to the amount of zipping one’s mouth at the proper time…… That supposed "deadwood" you may be sitting next to might have a wealth of info in his greying noggin’ …. Be wise young grasshoppers!

[Ray Shields]

Abnormal,

the age is not relevant, we took on a 50 year old as a Trainee after he had spent most of his life repairing TVs. Maturity also can count quite a lot in fitting into the offshore life.

Your technical experience certainly will count towards any ROV employment. If you wished to expand it, doing some hydraulics courses would also assist in making your CV stand out.

But the problem with having a good CV is when there are thousands of others, also with good CVs. Many people are perfect for working with ROVs, but there are so many, unfortunately a lot of the time it comes down to luck, knowing someone, or being in the right place at the right time.

Have a read through the FAQs (link over on the left), and read through the advice (and bitching) in the Rookie section as many people have come on asking the same question.

[Anonymous]

Ray you took on a TV repair man in his 50’s 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆

That about sums up the company you work for monkeys & peanuts etc etc A mate of yours by any chance ……..?

A F78king TV REPAIR MAN hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha 😛

[rovnumpty]

Abnormal

Please feel free to ignore some of the more purile remarks.

Your background sounds like a good grounding for rov work. The question is why would you want to?

If heading offshore, you’d have to start at the bottom again as a trainee, with the distinct possibility of having "characters" like number1 telling you what to do for about the same money as the trainee stewards are getting onboard.

If you want to go offshore, there a better paid and better jobs than rov. Have a look around at other options first, such as electronic technician.

[James McLauchlan]

AsianStallion

Ray said.. "we", not "he". Better someone taken on with that kind of background, no matter what age, than a bricklayer recently pumped out by one of the training establishments.

So, how about you come up with something useful to say and give others the benefit of your ROV experience, rather than attempt to do little other than disrupt adult conversations? You do appear to have an agenda to do nothing other than piss take to a level verging on abusive. Not what this site wants or will allow in the longer term.

I will send you a PM on this.

[timebandit]

yeah get rid of the asian donkey !!

[Author]

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