Sonsub not the worst

[rovbionic]

Saw a thread whining how bad Sonsub treated thier lads.

Just thought I would blow thier horn on my experience just after my prohibation as a salaried employee.

First time anyone ever paid for my survival course with a wage to boot not to mention have a steady slot .

Guess you have to have done the agencey game for years to appreciate it.

There might be better out there but damn sure therers worst.

[ROV_Monkey]

Edited

[Ray Shields]

Hi,
Just to say they’re not the only company paying wages for people doing training courses, S7 do as a matter of course, even for day rate scum like myself. Having been agency for 10 yr, yes it is appreciated. 😛
As you say, there’s a lot worse out there (FSL – or has it changed Ray?)

Cheers

Monkey

Fugro (Aberdeen) still taking on trainees, paying for the training course and survival/medical (ok, tied in to paying some money back on a sliding scale over next 2 years). Trainee for the first 6 months then PT4.

Unfortunately the long haul from PT4 to PT1 means that some people leave after a couple of years as they seem to expect 3 years min. to make PT1 and people find they can do better after a couple of years experience.

But still a good start into the industry IMHO.

[ROV_Monkey]

Hi Ray,
Agreed, a very good way in.

But do FSL now pay wages when you’re doing a course, i.e T4. XL etc?

Cheers

Col

P.S. What’s a PT4 – Trainee?

[tinchicken]

I think you will find a PT4 is how you slip a trainee onto the core crew without the companies/clients noticing …………………… hopefully(?)

[Ray Shields]

With FROV (not FSL anymore, they are purely survey, ROVvers moved to F Rovtech when they bought them) there are a couple of different contract options but you get your salary all year round whether you work or not.

If you attend a training course, these days do not count towards your contracted number of days but you still get your salary plus an onshore allowance for the day. Basically just the same as working in base but the day doesnt count towards your 170 days.

The structure (from bottom up) is Trainee, PT4, PT3, PT2, PT1.
Very generally, Trainee is 0-6 months, and then PT4 and up to PT1 within 3 years.

Whether you call a PT4 a cheat way of putting a Trainee offshore depends on your definition of a Trainee. People at "trainees" at every stage in their jobs. By PT4 you will have done the training, HOPEFULLY already have a trqde behind you (a different debate), plus have done 2 or 3 jobs already offshore. If you have all of this then I feel it is reasonable to put a PT4 out on a team – DEPENDING on the job of course (simple drillsupport, small stuff and built them up to heavy, more manic jobs otherwise it is not fair on the team or the individual).

Problem is getting the right balance, put them on too easy a job – they learn nothing. Keep them on easy jobs, they do 2 years offshore, everyone thinks "oh hes done it for 2 years", stick them on a manic job and everyone suffers.

Its all about managing, balancing and developing – some companies are better than others 🙂

[fishbowl]

Do they accept Canadian for trainees ?

Fishbowl

[Ray Shields]

Do they accept Canadian for trainees ?

Fishbowl

Who, Fugro in Aberdeen? Yes, but only if you live in Western Europe. But they have hundreds of people already applying. But being Canadian would not rule you out (as long as you were allowed to work in the UK and as I said, you would have to live over here)

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