Soon to be out the RAF, bit of ROV advice please?

[tonto2k]

Hi everyone,

I am currently working as an Airframe technician at RAF Lossiemouth in North Scotland. I have recently got voluntary redundancy and I am really interested in getting into ROV work as I have a strong interest in robotics and also 6 years experience of Hydraulics/mechanical systems.

Most people I speak to seem to say Airframe technicians would be suited to this environment because of my current job and it really is what I want to do, not just for the money.

However, I am a bit hesitant at the moment to apply for ROV jobs online because although there are numerous jobs available I have no ROV experience and this seems to be a prerequisite of most jobs.

I feel I have the relevant hydraulic experience and I have also worked many 12 hour shifts whilst away on detachment in the Gulf. I just can’t seem to find any ROV trainee jobs?

Can anyone tell me where I am going wrong?

Thanks.

P.s I have a C.V available if anyone fancys a look at it 🙂

[farq30]

If you are interested in a career in the rovs you should get a list of as many rov companies as you can and start putting cv’s out to them. As a trainee it is not a pre-requisite that you have rov experience, that is why you are called a trainee! Companies look for a people with technical abilities and quailifications. Your forces background would probably do you no harm at all. This time of year isn’t really the best time to be looking for a trainee position but several companies are just about to start new recruits{fugro being one).so you’ve missed the boat on that one! All i can suggest is get your cv out there and chase it up,don’t expect companies to reply,some just won’t!! so it’s important to follow up with a phone call.Try to get the ops managers email/phone number rather than go through hr dept.good luck

[temp]

tonto2k

Your hydraulics/mechanical training, qualifications, and practical experience should be attractive to potential employers. The ROV industry is a bit different from many other tech jobs you may go into, as everybody has to start as a trainee, even if you already have plenty of technical experience, as the job is as a ‘pilot-technician’ i.e have to learn how to operate as well as fix them. Can be a bit strange taking a step down for a while, but worth it in the end, need to approach it with the right attitude. Doing contract work can be daunting if used to a regular salary, although most trainee positions will be a basic salary plus offshore allowance. May even have to take pay cut initially, but pays for itself later when experienced.

Probably not an ideal time to be looking, but no harm in sending off your CV to all the companies, followed up with phone calls & visit if possible.
Even though certain companies have recently done a trawl for trainees, you may just get lucky.

If initially no luck in getting a start to tie in with finishing your RAF job, then you could always try for other mech/hydraulic tech jobs at one of the many service companies in the offshore oil & gas sector, even a base tech with some offshore travel – being near Aberdeen is handy. You could use that to bide your time until ROV companies are taking on, and in the meantime get useful experience and time under your belt offshore, which should make you more attractive to potential employers.

You could do your offshore survival course maybe paid for by RAF resettlement allowance?, should increase likelyhood of getting offshore work. Make the most of your resettlement allowances, not sure what you get now, also courses and jobseeking skills seminars etc – they are free advice.

Could also do some sort of short/part-time college course in electrics/electronics – it’s not going to make you an expert but you do need all-round multi-trade skills for ROV work. People tend to be mainly one or other (i.e electrical/electronic or mechanical/hydraulic), but knowledge of other trades is useful and is required, everyone is expected to chip in whether a fault is mechanical or electrical.

Don’t bother doing any of the ROV induction courses you see advertised, as they’re expensive and not valued much in the industry – most companies have their own in-house training programme. A lot of money to fork out for something which may not achieve it’s purpose (of getting you a start in ROV).

With the CV, sometimes service-leavers have trouble putting their forces experience and training into civilianised-speak that companies can relate to. Emphasise other qualities as well as your technical side, such as teamwork, working away from home sometimes in adverse conditions, used to hard work and long shifts, reliable, motivated, supervisory experience (for future prospects – but don’t expect to go in at that level!) etc. Many of the ROV companies have in the past been quite keen on taking on ex-forces techies. Try and find out a bit about the companies, the types of vehicles, what they do etc. Most of all keep persevering if you don’t initially get in.

Good luck
temp

[tonto2k]

Thanks guys for the detailed replies 🙂

I have attended a careers transition course and that showed me how to write a good C.V, I am going to email the ROV companies up here in Scotland hopefully it serve me better that I live close.

Cheers.

[temp]

tonto2k
Register with the CTP in Aberdeen – they are free and quite often come up with jobs not advertised. As an ex-regular forces, you can use them for all of your working life. I’ve had 3 jobs through them (2 contract 1 permanent, 1 of which was ROV) over the years, well worth using.
temp

[Ray Shields]

tonto2k,

I have helped a couple of guys on here revise their CVs for offshore work – one being offered a job the first time he sent his modified one out!

I have seen many CVs written in the style of "professional" companies and they are not very good and not suitable for offshore work. Im gpoing to try and put an FAQ together about it and put it on here.

Definately make full use of any courses the RAF will pay for as part of the resettlement. Fugro have taken on a lot of ex RAF people in the past – even bomb loaders 🙂

[tonto2k]

Hi Ray,

I have emailed you my C.V if you could have a look at it please that would be great.

Cheers.

[James McLauchlan]

I have seen many CVs written in the style of "professional" companies and they are not very good and not suitable for offshore work. Im gpoing to try and put an FAQ together about it and put it on here.

Ray has made a very good point here.. CV’s used in the ROV industry do differ in format from your average land based Office/Industry/Business style CV’s.

[UKJOHN]

Best of luck in your quest for a rov job. Right now some companies are still looking for new recruits.

Take a look at http://www.oceaneering.com and give them a call.

[farq30]

try http://www.subseawork.com as they have adverts for rov personnel all the time.

[Author]

Posts