Underwater Centre ROV graduate looking for work

[Andy Birchall]

I’m completing my ROV course this week (22nd Feb), and so I’m looking for work offshore as trainee Pilot/Tech.

I have a good technical background, communication skills and work ethic.

Please let me know if you would like me to send a copy of my CV.

Thanks.

[ionicwings]

what’s your background? are you enjoying FW? finished mine last yr, Dec 😉

(I think it’s advisable not to post duplicate threads in diff sections… just a tip ;))

🙂

[Scott Beveridge]

No spamming please once is enough.

[Ray Shields]

"Graduate"- sounds a bit grander than it is! FW is not a University!

You are completing a course you paid money to do. There, doesn’t that sound better 🙂

Read through all of the threads on here, especially in teh Rookie section; read through the FAQ, format your CV to match the FAQ. Look at Ron’s ROV Links for a complete list of ROV companies and start writing to them.

But of course you must already know who the ROV companies are and have tried applying before spending thousands on the course, surely?

Please be aware that posting a message on here looking for an ROV Trainee you are joining a VERY long queue. And the people with the technical background and experience are higher up the queue than people with an ROV School training course. Good luck anyway.

[bt]

apply to company`s and tell them your happy to go to west africa, I`m sure you`ll get something.
You also pay to go to university to learn the basic knowledge to get a job.
Then are trained in the job when you start.

[Ray Shields]

Very few University Degrees give you suitable hands on basic knowledge. If you get a Degree in Electronics, they do not teach you how to solder for example. I once worked with a Trainee who had a Degree – he had no idea what a spanner was, never mind how to use one. Thats why I feel NVQ/SVQ or HNC level is more useful as a qualification rather than Degree level.

A Degree in Scotland is free for Scottish people (they pay a Graduate Endownment on completion, a one off fee of just over £2000) – a lot cheaper and a lot more prestigious than a piece of paper from FW.

[reg]

Hey Ray,

Even the £2000 was reduced to zero, June 2007.

The day after my son signed the papers in Heriot Watt it was announced that the charge would no longer apply. In he went and got the form and the money back! Mind you I never saw the change!!

Good Old Alex Salmond, although I do hear he is bring back tolls on West Coast Bridges!

[Ray Shields]

Even better 🙂 I thought it was zero but couldn’t find it on teh Net, must have been an old page I looked at.

They only took the toll off our Bridge cos they were sick of us turning up and refusing to pay 🙂

[bt]

http://www.undergraduate.hw.ac.uk/admissions/tuition-fees.htm

[Andy Birchall]

Thanks for the pointers guys. By the way, I’m aware that having an Underwater Centre certificate does not make me a top notch ROV dude, but it’s better than having NO experience. So, surely it’s better to mention it than not.

Besides, I’m looking for ‘trainee’ positions for now, not full pilot/tech positions. But, thanks for the comments anyway.

Oh, and about the spamming – fair comment. Spamming wasn’t the intention. I had posted in the other forum, then thought THIS was a better place for it, so I did it here as well. Didn’t think 2 posts would be a problem. Anyway, I’ve deleted the other one now.

[Anonymous]

"Graduate" hmmm impressive…

[Andy Birchall]

I think people in this industry are intelligent enough to understand what ‘graduate’ means in terms of the course I did at The Underwater Centre. I don’t believe I’m fooling anyone into thinking I’ve got some sort of degree, or higher education certificate. It’s only a word I use to indicate that I passed the course.

If it really offends or confuses people that greatly, then please feel free to substitute ‘graduate’ for ‘person who passed the course’.

Thank you very much.

[Ray Shields]

Graduate IS a word more associated with Degrees etc. There are a number of people going offshore now that seem to think that as they have attended a training school that they already know as much (if not more) than some people who have been doing it for years.

Out of interest has anyone ever NOT passed their training school course after forking out several thousand pounds. I know there are tests etc. whilst on the course but if no-one ever "fails" it, then what you are doing is getting a certificate of completion rather than passing or graduating.

Good luck with the job hunting anyway, have a read through teh other advice given to others in the same boat as you, polish up your CV and have a read through the FAQs on the site here (link on the left hand side).

[PaulB]

Out of interest has anyone ever NOT passed their training school course after forking out several thousand pounds. I know there are tests etc. whilst on the course but if no-one ever "fails" it, then what you are doing is getting a certificate of completion rather than passing or graduating.

This question suggests a level of naivity regarding why students are undertaking our courses.

I cannot answer for other training establishments but in answer to your question Ray, we have failed one student and threatened to ‘retire’ several others whilst I have been at The Underwater Centre (Fort William). All these students were sent here (and paid for) by their employers!

The vast majority of our students are self-funding. Virtually all have read this site before coming to The Underwater Centre. Many will have had many months (or even years) to consider carefully what they intend to do. I note the author of this thread first joined ROVworld in December 2006!

Our students do not undertake our courses lightly. For them it is probably one of the biggest investments both in time and money for their future career. They don’t undertake the course with the aim of failing – far from it, they work and study hard, commit themselves to homework in the evenings and weekends, and put in 110% effort. For me, this involves feeding an insatiable appetite for knowledge and makes my job a great pleasure. I don’t think IOMAndy would mind if I said he was an excellent example of such dedication and commitment.

We do have some students who may struggle from time to time, but for these, we provide additional instruction in the evenings and at weekends (sometimes on a one-to-one basis if necessary). As long as a student is making the effort, we will go the extra mile to make them competent. Our students pay money to learn to be competent and to be assessed as such. We go out of our way to ensure this happens. Simple!

Paul Bury
Head of ROV Training & Operations
The Underwater Centre (Fort William) Ltd

[Andy Birchall]

I certainly don’t mind, Paul. Thank you very much.

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