Out of school, where to start?

[Smokie]

Hey guys,

I have been through a lot of the forums and found that the majority of people interested in working in the industry have a lot of experience behind them. I was hoping for some advice on where to start as I have ZERO relavent work experience.

Here is my current situation.
I have just turned 20 and am unemployed. I spent 1 year at uni studying Automotive engineering, I acheived a B average and got a HNC equivalent but decided to leave, as uni just really isn’t for me. I found out about the ROV world and think it would suit me down to the ground, but what would be the best way in to the industry.

The more I read the more interested I become but as places are highly sought after and the majority of applicants being more experienced and better qualified than myself.

What advice would you give someone in my situation?
More education?
Get offshore?

Any help, advice or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

[flash]

You know it seems to me that so many guys are joining this industry & have no idea why they want to join with no idea of what the real requirments are.Why dont you join the navy & see how much you enjoy being at sea for weeks on end without your home comforts.I am personally sick to the back teeth of training guys that obviously have no idea of 1 end of a ship from another Prt from Strb.I have often worked with guys with a engineering back ground & most of the time dont know what size spanner to get & end up running around getting nothing done what so ever!!!! After reading your email it is clear to me that you give up easily & more than likely dont like what you studied for.My advice to you would be to get your mum or dad to buy you a new xbox this industry has enough people it needs to get rid of before taking on any more.

[Ray Shields]

Hey guys,

I have been through a lot of the forums and found that the majority of people interested in working in the industry have a lot of experience behind them. I was hoping for some advice on where to start as I have ZERO relavent work experience.

Here is my current situation.
I have just turned 20 and am unemployed. I spent 1 year at uni studying Automotive engineering, I acheived a B average and got a HNC equivalent but decided to leave, as uni just really isn’t for me. I found out about the ROV world and think it would suit me down to the ground, but what would be the best way in to the industry.

The more I read the more interested I become but as places are highly sought after and the majority of applicants being more experienced and better qualified than myself.

What advice would you give someone in my situation?
More education?
Get offshore?

Any help, advice or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

You said it yourself – you have ZERO relevant work experience. As long as the likes of the Armed Forces keep supplying a steady stream of qualified experienced personnel, people like yourself will have very slim chance of gettinga job in ROVs.

Harsh but true.

[Smokie]

In response to flash’s comment. There are a lot of assumptions in your reply, none of which are relevant or helpful to my questions. I have never given up on anything I have put my mind to and my decision to leave uni was a positive one and was for personal reasons.

As I stated in my post, I know I have no relevant experience and I understand that in my current situation I will not get into the industry.

A clearer way to put my question may be, what would be a good first step? (to eventually get in to the industry, maybe 3 or 4 years down the line.)

Again any help or advice is much appreciated.

[Cabledog]

Flash,

The fact someone has never been to sea before is irrelevant, this is a 20 year old kid who wants to go off shore, he has an HNC in an engineering disipline, so why not give him a shot?

To be honest I think more people of his age are what we need, I know a few young ones, some good, some not, but they can be moulded (if thats the right word) much easier than the 30/40 years olds that tend to be moving off shore, be they be ex-military or whatever.

Smokie, if this is what you want to do as a career then go for it, get your cv out now and see what comes of it. It makes a refreshing change to see a young lad with a bit of get up and go.

Good luck
Dog

[Ray Shields]

In response to flash’s comment. There are a lot of assumptions in your reply, none of which are relevant or helpful to my questions. I have never given up on anything I have put my mind to and my decision to leave uni was a positive one and was for personal reasons.

You said

…. I acheived a B average and got a HNC equivalent but decided to leave, as uni just really isn’t for me. I found out about the ROV world and think it would suit me down to the ground….

You only did 1 year before deciding to leave (hence the seems to give up quip) but after 1 year you cannot get a HNC equivalent anything, you can get a certificate to show the units you have done but that is not a complete HNC.

You also said you found out about ROVs and thought it would suit you – what did you find out? Work away in foreign places and earn lots of money? Did you not find out what ROVs are and what you need to know to operate and maintain them?

Hence, I think the comments from Flash.

Where to start, I would say get yourself into an engineering, electrical or hydraulic job, apprenticeship would be great but they seem few and far between nowadays. Get work experience on your CV, maybe try block release or distance learning and try an improve your electrical, electronic and hydraulic skills and qualifications. This I feel is the way ahead to get yourself in the best position to get a start in offshore.

[deevalue]

Get an education, good results and seeing things to completion still does impress. "Positive" decisions to drop out does not. Some relevant work experience gained during holiday or weekend employment while in training would show commitment.

Young blood is required in the industry, some of the larger companies can offer sponsorship to college or UNI gradutes then a "career" starting in one section of the industry with progression, either in positions offshore or moving onshore to Project Support and Management, but there is huge competition for these positions.

If you have nothing to offer, why would you be considered. The ROV schools offer familiarisation training to those with hands on journeyman experience. They do not prepare the unqualified for a future in the industry. But they will tell you they do!
see http://www.imca-int.com/core/tcpc/profile/careers/

Now I have a question – I googled and read results for 15 mins before my answer above –
From IMCA site links – Freemantle training is $8400.00 Australian dollars
Fort William is £10000 – why would you train in the cold wilds of Jock land, when a holiday, world travel and training can be achieved for the same price? unless sheep take your fancy of course!

[Ray Shields]

Now I have a question – I googled and read results for 15 mins before my answer above –
From IMCA site links – Freemantle training is $8400.00 Australian dollars
Fort William is £10000 – why would you train in the cold wilds of Jock land, when a holiday, world travel and training can be achieved for the same price? unless sheep take your fancy of course!

You are not comparing like with like. For £10,000 at FW included the electronics module which I believe is an additional 3-4 weeks. If you just to the ROV familiarisation course its closer to £4000. Which equates to about Aus$10,000 which is closer to what Freemantle charge?

[Savante]

what modules did you cover in your HNC curriculum.? What highers/standard grades (jockanese for a-levels and GCSEs!)

Have you looked at correspondence courses in electronics?

In terms of other things offshore.

1. Catering/Administration/Stewarding – would get you offshore very quickly.
2. Wireline/e-line/slickline – paid as well as ROV – quite competitive but some of the guys I’ve met I’m suprised they managed to correctly function a door-handle.
3. Deck-crew/A-bs/Marine crew – glasgow have a huge college for marine crew training – go try become a vessel master?
4. Roustabouts and work your way up through deck crew?

If you look at your skills set – think about what it is you have for ROV? Can you understand how an optical fibre works – terms of losses, measurement of performance of an optical system??

That is just a "for instance"?

Fugro are recruiting for an onshore guy – skills are practical but mixed with some adminsitrative stuff – if you can type, good paperwork, etc – you might give that a go. (just based on my interpretation of the job spec…). Might be a future inroad if you can learn quickly???

Organisation and the willingness to learn matey. But you have to have a semblance of a grounding.

There are examples of people who just have no idea, but somehow they’re in ROV. Yup- happens, but no-one likes working with them because they’re a total drain and some real drama queens.

[Smokie]

Can’t remember all the modules but some where based on

Mechanics
Thermodynamics
Digital logic
Circuits and modelling
Computer programming
More math than I ever think I’ll need
(The majority of this stuff was theoretical, Very little practical experience)

High school education included

Advanced higher physics
Highers in english, maths, chemistry, Graphic communication
Standard grades in geography, music and french

I know this in no way qualifies me for a job pretty much in any profession, but I think it gives me a decent start.

I also spent about 7 months working full time in a Michelin tyre factory working 8 and 12 hour shifts. I don’t think this is what you would call relevant experience but it may be helpful.

I’m definitely considering all the entry jobs you have mentioned, I have also heard about some agencies that will train you to be a tech with on job training and will be in a job in a year.

I have done a lot of research, after going to uni and then leaving, I really want to take my time to pick the career path that is right for me and that has a future.

Again really appreciate the help.

[flash]

In Response to cabledogs comment!! You are correct in what you say with regards to young blood needed in the industry! However,the fact remains that if a person is a professional course taker,without a ounce of common sense to go with the paper work?.I am personally tired of guys being sent out that 2/3 months prior.where shearing sheep or working at a check out counter in B & Q.This I would like to say is not directed at you smokie,but is becoming a common problem.

[Smokie]

Hi flash
Put that way, I completely agree and maybe I was a bit quick to jump on the defensive. At uni I met some very intelligent people a lot of who where without any common sense or sense of humour. I think one of biggest problems universities have is a lack of balance between theory and hands on experience, and not just in engineering. But that’s another matter.

[Cabledog]

Flash,

I agree mate, but one thing we have to try and get away from is tarring all the new guys with the same brush. Give them a shot on base before going offshore. If they can not do the job shore side then get rid of them, no harm done.

We have all come across the numpties that get sent straight offshore, and that is what needs sorting out. But that is a differnt topic!!!!

Smokie, try and avoid the agency route, it works for some but is not the best way to go, (see previous posts on this subject, go direct to the major companies, you should know who they are by now, if you get a place they will train you, saving you a fortune along the way.

Check your PM

Dog

[Savante]

seriously smokie – hands on experience is something that can be gained and taught over time. No one comes to the trade with "prior art" experience only "relevant" experience. In a good company everyone goes through the same basic training anyway.

Understanding the fundamentals is something that some people never get and have no wish to develop. As for common sense – that’s a function of understanding. If a person doesn’t understand the consequences of accidentally making a circuit…..or looking into an optical fibre tester to see if the friggin thing is working……

I do accept though that some academics can overthink a problem and regularly end up with the old "$300,000 biro that can write underwater – hmm crayon". Those guys need stewardship and yeah some of them should stay at the beach.

Plug away at it Smokie – if you got good grades at the advanced higher (completion of school curriculum in full lads and you don’t get to do it unless you’ve done really well at higher level!) then you’ve got legs on some of the others in your cohort.

The modules you’ve got sound interesting enough to have relevant experience. I highly reccomend the offshore life though – money, travel, craic and the projects are interesting (especially the first time round at least!)

If you are worried about experience – go and do the hands on thing in the yard and go listen/learn to the good old boys- it is invaluable. Keep the gob shut and listen though. You’ll get respect if you can pick up the ropes quickly – and I’d go and pick up marine crew skills like roping, etc. Definately throw your cv in though and have a bash. Get your offshore survival first if you want to stand any chance of being taken seriously. If you’re in the yard and someone lets the company down and the HR lot know you’re available – do you think they’re going to pick up the phone and go for an agency guy?

The only problem you’ll have in this industry is stereotypes and that’s a major problem within the orifice and the HR girlies.

[elad1986]

Dude,
Seriously, finishing your training and getting some sort of certification is priorirty number 1! Then establish contacts with guys who are in the industry and heavilly known. Then start thinking about trying to get into the game. Do work experience in relative fields such as hydraulics or electronics.
Your not going to get your foot in the door by just putting your name out there if you have nothing to back it up with.

I’m 22, barely hanging in there, trade behind me and there are plenty more guys who are still smarter and more qualified than me and they are waiting at home for the next email/phone call.

Automotive engineering…finish it off dude.
Seriously take on the opinions from those in this forum, they know well.

Good luck dude

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