ROV Training Centre in Cape Town, South Africa

[Khalil Aleker]

Hi there

Some great points indeed.

– OSTRAC is IMCA Accredited – http://www.imca-int.com/members/rov.html

– We do not only train on ROVs but have various other courses lined up for the year as well. Company re-structured hence our new website will be launched in the next month.

– 90% of our ROV Pilot Trainees were employed.

– Our Instructor is Richard van der Merwe – 20 Years Experience / Ex-Military Diver

Keep well
Khalil

[rover22]

Hi Khalil,

OSTRAC is a member-company of IMCA, but the training is not accredited as you allude to. This ambiguity is not clear to newcomers such as those you are targeting. Of the 39 trained since 2007, how many were already company employers (ie company-sponsored) and how many were self-sponsored? This is more meaningful. Is your instructor an experienced ROV P/T or Supervisor? 20 years military diving experience does no cut it (if this is the case) as you are presenting ROV familiarisation training leading to a ROV P/T II certificate, and not training military divers.

What screening do you do of candidates to ensure they meet entry-level criteria as guidelined by IMCA? What external body or institution has audited or reviewed your training material or curriculum? What ROV companies have used OSTRACto train their personnel?

Sorry dude, I am not trying to knock you or OSTRAC, but what you are sayin and presenting is making alarm bells go off. Incidently, my team is also reading this posting and agree with what I am saying.

[rover22]

Please add this to the above regarding status of membership and recognition, as well as-entry criteria for those seeking employment as an ROV P/T:

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published a reviewed and updated version of their ‘Entry Level Requirements and Basic Introductory Course Outline for New Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Personnel’ (IMCA R 002 Rev. 2), which reflects technological and operational developments since the initial document was published in January 2000.

“In particular, the guidance on entry-level criteria for those undergoing initial ROV training courses is clarified and repeated in a new checklist format,” explains IMCA’s Chief Executive Hugh Williams. “This is intended to make those requirements clear and ensure that those offering, or considering undergoing training courses, are aware of the skill requirements of potential employers and thus their future employment prospects.

“We would particularly ask all training providers to ensure that teaching and marketing staff as well as potential students are made aware of these requirements. IMCA does not approve any ROV-related training courses and any organisation using our material to help in the development of their courses should check with IMCA HQ the wording of any references to IMCA used in teaching or promotional materials.”

How does this fit with OSTRAC?

[James McLauchlan]

– OSTRAC is IMCA Accredited – http://www.imca-int.com/members/rov.html

Khalil

I feel that the above statement is misleading.

The link you provided links to the IMCA Member Directory
This simply lists all types of members:

• International Contractors
• Contractors
• Suppliers: Equipment, Training Establishments, Personnel Agencies, Naval Units) and Corresponding Members

However I can find no mention of accreditation yet your post appears to suggest there might be an indication of accreditation by following your link.

Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.

It is my understanding that the IMCA does not ‘Accredit’ any of it’s members. If I am wrong I would happily be corrected on that point though.

[Khalil Aleker]

James/ Rov22

You both are correct , Ostrac not IMCA accredited, we use IMCA training guidelines. Training institutions cannot be accredited. This is why IROVA needs to be in place asap, it’s critical that we get training to certain standards/quality.

Rov22 – yes, we do have strict entry level requirements to do ROV pilot course. Our trainer is not a ROV supervisor. He is a ROV Pilot and 20 years Military Diving teacher.

Keep well, I have only joined the Oil & Gas/ROV industry less than 2 weeks ago. Coming from IT/Finance background.

I really enjoying this forum – thanks for the tips/advice James 🙂

[rov_er]

…

[rover22]

Hi Khalil,

Thanks. Therein lies the clarrification (for me at least). It seems that OSTRAC has identified a business opportunity to present ROV training and has drawn up a training program to meet minimum standard guidelines established by IMCA (hopefully by someone with proven ROV industry experience and formal qualifications, using authorative sources), for induction training for new-comers to the industry, and has identified a person with an ROV Pilot qualification (who may or may not have some ROV experience offshore and may himself be one of the 39 persons trained by OSTRAC since 2007). From reading the link to your earlier website (http://www.ostrac.com/index.php/page/ostrac-courses1.htm ) there is no clear clarrification to interested parties that such training is not a pre-requisite to employment on the industry but rather that established entry-level criteria of technical background, character and attainmet of an offshore medical fitness survival training certificate are. Added to this is (1) the allusion to IMCA-approval, (2) the fact that the equipment used for practical training is not industry-standard and (3) that the course itself is scheduled to run 4 times in a five-month period and (4) a lot of experienced ROV personnel are sitting at home without work at the moment and ROV companies are not actively recruiting new-starts and (5) that no search shows evidence of a training facility where this training is presented, one cannot help but be left with the feeling that personal commercial interest/opportunism rather than the desire to meet an industry-demand for training, is driving OSTRAC.

[Andy Shiers]

Looking at both sides……………………………. 8)
I’ll be biased towards Rover 22.
With all the valid points put over from him , I fail to see why yet ANOTHER company wishes to try to exploit our Industry the wrong way and damage the pay structure.
CSWIP ALL over again , i’m thinking !
"COME ON IROVA"
Fight for the rights of adversity ! the down trodden and against the tyrannical capitalistic Oil Companies I have grown so addicted to working with ! 😯

[Scott Beveridge]

Looking at both sides……………………………. 8)
I’ll be biased towards Rover 22.
With all the valid points put over from him , I fail to see why yet ANOTHER company wishes to try to exploit our Industry the wrong way and damage the pay structure.
CSWIP ALL over again , i’m thinking !
"COME ON IROVA"
Fight for the rights of adversity ! the down trodden and against the tyrannical capitalistic Oil Companies I have grown so addicted to working with ! 😯

Sounds like a plan Lost…

To all, why not register and take charge OF YOUR OWN BUSINESS! P.S. – You’re not addicted, it’s the life style you (we) work for (even if it’s some odd-looking piece o’ furniture- heh, heh)). :- }

[JL Schnabel]

…whatever happened to this thread ❓

What happened to Khalil, who is from an ‘IT/Finance background.’ ❓

The silence thus speaks volumes concerning this ROV-training (ad)venture…

😉 😉 😉

[rover22]

…well spotted. It says it all I think 😀 Hopefully people arent being fleeced by them.

[Mark McGirr]

Supervisor? 20 years military diving experience does no cut it (if this is the case) as you are presenting ROV familiarisation training leading to a ROV P/T II certificate, and not training military divers.

Just to make it clear!!!!!!

No school can train someone and give them a P/T II cert. This is all wrong, and the biggest problem with the schools. No company worth their salt will accept this, so it’s just nonsense!

[Mark McGirr]

As I am from an ROV background, maybe I could open a school teaching IT/Finance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Scott Beveridge]

As I am from an ROV background, maybe I could open a school teaching IT/Finance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or a sous chef, bus driver, burger flipper!!!

[Khalil Aleker]

Hi, I am still here, listening 🙂

[Author]

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