Leap of faith – Job Offer

[Andy]

Hi folks.

Any help or advice greatly appreciated…

Just been offered a position as a junior tech and they are offering to put me through their training in Indonesia.

I’m currently employed by one of the big players in the manufacture of subsea xmas trees, choke modules, tubing hangers etc. Before that I was an aircraft tech (mechanical) in the forces.

Just wanting to get some views from guys "at the coal face" so to speak.

I have a resonable appreciation for sparky stuff, but by far my strong point is hydraulics, mechanical etc. How do the crews normally cope, is it an elec, mech and a supervisor mostly?

Also, I’m hearing a lot of folk say the industry is picking up… any views? I know that we are pumping out xmas trees left, right and centre so I’d imagine that will keep you guys busy for the foreseeable. I will be on a salary and a day rate for offshore… the salary is very low (compared to what I earn now) so will I get enough days away in my first few years whilst gaining experience?

Cheers

[Stuart Allan]

Lofty,

There is a possibility that you could sit at home for long enough (post- training school) with the odd upman job here and there. Not ideal from a learning perspective.
It strikes me that you already have a foot in the door in the subsea completion market? As you have pointed out you are throwing trees out the door, and these will need guys offshore to run / test. This is the road I would be attempting to follow…..5-10 years down the line and you could be a Subsea Supervisor for one of the big guns…..who knows?

[Andy]

Deep-six,

Thanks for the reply. Thats my main concern just now – sitting at home on a basic salary waiting for a trip offshore. I know a few guys that were with Oceaneering a few years ago (circa 2009) that passed their training then sat at home for a year with only a couple of trips if they were lucky.

The job I’m doing now is good, and the pay is excellent but I have no desire to persue it offshore.

Basically what Im saying is, with the current manpower/workload for ROV’s is it worth the gamble to give up a £40k job to persue a career in ROV’s?

[James McLauchlan]

…..

Basically what Im saying is, with the current manpower/workload for ROV’s is it worth the gamble to give up a £40k job to persue a career in ROV’s?

The ROV is very busy and will not be slowing down any time soon.

Ultimately you’ll earn way more than £40k/PA as an ROV tech!

[Andy]

Jamesmc,

Thanks for the reply, and for the reassurance. My only other question is regards the electrical/electronic side of things (what with me being a mech tech). Is it quite intensive the lecky side of things?

Ive done plenty of umbilical strip-backs and reterms but nowt on curcuit boards, fibre optics etc.

Cheers

[RW]

If you can use and UNDERSTAND mechanical theories you won’t struggle with theories of electrical or electronic. Its just a different spin on the physics. All’s you will need is time to learn and utilize it.

Is fibre considered an electrical discipline? 😉

[Andy]

82ross,

I understand the theories of electrics (albeit basic) as this was covered during my apprenticeship years ago so hopefully its still retained inside the deepest, darkest recess of my mind! My mechanical background, like I say, is sound and I have no problems picking up new things quickly and applying them.

Well judging by how slowly BT are rolling out fibre telecoms in our area it would probably be quicker letting a spanner-wielder like myself do it 😉

Oh before I forget, how does the tax work? Excuse my ignorance as never been offshore. If Im working in UK sector, I pay UK tax obviously but if WA for example how does it work?

Cheers

[James McLauchlan]

Oh before I forget, how does the tax work? Excuse my ignorance as never been offshore. If Im working in UK sector, I pay UK tax obviously but if WA for example how does it work?

Cheers

It’s a different topic so you should really start a new thread on that in the financial section.

[LukeD]

Lofty ………. Go for it 😀

[T-Boy]

Well judging by how slowly BT are rolling out fibre telecoms in our area it would probably be quicker letting a spanner-wielder like myself do it

Is that the 9/16’s spanner that’s lurking on another thread 😆

To succeed in this game, you do not need to specialise in any one discipline. Gone are the days of having teams where peeps were either mechanical or electrical, the bias is far more towards someone that is dynamic and can pretty much turn their hand to anything IMO.
I would far rather have someone who was a bit fick, but had some common sense, savvy and a willingness to learn on the team than an ‘expert’.

Bleeding air from a diesel, pump, trying to resolder corroded componenets on a flooded surface mount multi layer PCB, stripping and replacing parts on a nacked thruser motor, the list goes on.
Salt water, electrickery and hydraulics mixed…..you get the picture?

Sure, the clankie side of ROV’s is pretty straightforward and fundamentally doesn’t appear to change over the years…the electronics side has and is evoloving slowly, but is still lagging behind compared to other areas such as MBES or AUV’s for example, and really doesn’t need to be ‘all singing, all dancing’

Tax; Dont work in UK, Noggie trerratorial waters if you are UK resident. Get a good accountant and swot up on Seamans Earning Deductions.

[Robert Mur]

Hi lofty would u be willing to share who is offering you the position as a junior tech.

i would be interested in applying also

any help would be appreciated.

cheers

[Andy]

Well folks, just thought I’d do you all the decency of updating this thread seeing as you helped me out and all 😀

After much consideration, and discussion with the wife, I declined the offer. This was for a number of reasons, mainly financial, but there were other niggling contract issues too.

I will still be looking to move into the rov industry in the future. The positives were that the guy at the interview was practically tearing my arm off to get me onboard… so at least I seem employable to someone haha.

Cheers for the help guys, much appreciated. And to any guys reading this who are looking for a way into the indistry, keep at it and good luck!

Lofty

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