Legit school?

[Eric Cullen]

I will be transitioning out of the military in the beginning of next year and I have talked to a few people about this industry.

I have been told nearly nothing but positive information about the industry and what it pays and how fast people are promoted within the industry.

I have a feeling it is too good to be true otherwise everyone would be doing this. I understand that you can spend a half a year, every year away from home and your family, but as a member of the military for the past 9+ years, I have no issue with that.

This is a link to the website to the school that has been shown to me about getting the right training and certifications to work in the industry:

http://www.subsearobotics.net/

Is this legit or is this 8 week course a complete waste of my time?

[James McLauchlan]

I have no idea about the training establishment you mention but was doesn’t bode too well for them is their website is not very well looked after. The Photo album is duff and the one course they quote in their schedule was in April this year!.. months ago. No new courses schedule.

I’d do a bit more research on them before committing any of your (or the military’s) money to them.

Hopefully you already have a time served technical (Electrical/Electronic/Mechanical) background. This isn’t a game that not techie types will survive in.

To get a start in the industry you might be better off doing the rounds (calling, sending CV etc) and trying to get employment as a trainee with (say) Oceaneering or similar.

Good luck! :tup:

[Ray Shields]

http://www.templebusinessincubator.org/businesses.php?type=current

listed at the bottom of the page, the company appears to be run by a Jon Autenrieth, found a news article at http://www.12newsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=14175573

He is not listed on LinkedIn which is surprising for a professional these days.

Appears to be a very small eyeball company, the professionalism of the website (complete with spelling mistakes) would cast doubt on how good it is to me.

There are much better training establishments out there.

However, as discussed MANY times on here, whether ROV Training Schools are worth it (they definitely are not mandatory, there is no such mandatory training required for ROVs as there is with Divers, despite various schools trying to make out that their course is a must).

Bottom line is 99% of people will not learn or know how to fly an ROV until they get a job with an ROV company, which is why ROV companies employ people with the appropriate technical skills and qualifications so they they can fix the ROVs – the flying will just come with the job.

Read through the forum on the various threads about ROV training schools.

[John Whitaker]

Hey guys,

I put myself through that school earlier this year. I wouldn’t say I would recommend it, but I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t.
Here’s the deal. These guys that run it are in it for the money. They will promise getting a job and lots of money, but you must only rely on yourself. Jon Autenrieth does run the school and has some contacts for getting jobs, but I didn’t find any of those contacts useful. I did find a job months after the class finished, but I found it on Craigslist and nailed the interview. A few of the guys were hired on by Oceaneering right after the class ended. And those guys are making good money.
Jon told everyone in the class that he was going to keep in touch with everyone and keep everyone’s spirits high during the job searching, but that was a lie. I left messages for him to call me back and got nothing. I am under the impression that they got our money and moved on. They like ex military because uncle Sam writes the checks and they always cash.
I have kept up with the classmates and the majority has gotten jobs in the industry. The course is a crutch, though. It will not support a career completely. Having experience will always be the best way to get a job. I was at the top of the class and still struggled to find a job, so by no means do you get the training and have employers waiting for you.
If you have any questions I can answer, email me at johnwhit81@gmail.com.

John Whitaker

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