What Should Trainees Be Taught?

[Mick]

Cheers Guys,
Once again thanks for your time. I do like the way people comment on spelling and grammer, it does make me chuckle. Unfortunately I am not in U.k, so can’t follow Ray around like a god, sorry Ray. I do need to look into this sight more though, note taken. I hope I don’t get judged on the tea making, I don’t mind I just don’t drink tea or coffee myself so never make it, but willing to learn. Cheers ray and Misisuek.

[Andy Shiers]

Give ya tip 🙂
When asked to make the tea , make a bad one then they won’t ask you again 😀

[Itchie]

Old sausage you ASSUME that my experience is limited and talking from a trainee’s perspective, well let me correct you.

Like Ray said, this thread was put in place for supervisors to give some feed back and surprise someone waved their magic wand and made me a supervisor many years ago…

I was disappointed with the way Mick was berated for his diction and yes it did seem petty. Like some of the retorts to my feedback.

Mick

Who are you working for in Aussie, as I am another “Aussie Mafia” / Sand groper and have worked with many of the ROV lads in Australia.

Remember that this is a global sight and most of the people you are talking to, are from the UK sector. There are slight differences of views when comparing how we work and how we operate.

Don’t worry about finding a mentor, as you will find out many Supervisors/Sub Engs have varying talents and with time you will be able to differentiate “sift” between good practices and bad to formulate your own style. The supervisor is Boss and at the end of the day the SUB is his responsibility “Give your input” but take his lead.

I can only speak for myself, yes I am hard at times and yes I do like to enjoy myself offshore. I have been told that I am sometimes to hard and headstrong, those same ROV guys have email me after moving on from my last employer and thanked me for teaching them “my views”. Without my guidance they would be up shit creek with other supervisors. Now for me that is the best I could hope for.

You will find in this industry that many people are job protective and are unwilling to teach and keep things to themselves “Find a niche and say they are an expert” i.e. I’m the thruster guy or I’m the PLC guy, I believe that the more you teach then the less you have to do, that’s an easy one. Just remember that ROV’s aren’t rocket science and everyone can do anything they set their mind to. Don’t let people scare you off and keep asking questions.

If you find that you have spare time then crack open the manuals, Learn the Long line drawing for the system, what penetrators there are on the sub “who makes them”, Learn camera pin out or at lease if you don’t remember them exactly then remember where to find then in the manuals and write this info in a tally book, learn the ancillary equipment like cutter, Zip pumps “remembering the rams on a tritech are not 3000psi”, stuff like that.

Most ROV manuals are not very informative like MIL spec manuals, but you can still glean information out of them like where the cards are and where the fuses are, just easy stuff like that.

The problem is that the supervisor dose not need to worry about finding you work all the time and if he sees that you’re keeping yourself busy then that’s 1 extra thing that he dose not need to worry about, normally if you pester your Supervisor then he will find a job you don’t like.

Run everything by you Supervisor and let him no what your up to and be the first to get dirty Never ever say “I’m an electronics tech not a clanky and I don’t get dirty” that will blow you Supers head off his shoulders. Get under the winch and scrub the crap out and clean it spick and span “don’t do a ½ assed job”.
Everything you do, do it to the best of your ability, drilling a hole, cleaning up, all that stuff. There’s a fine line between quality and speed and you need to find where they meet.
If you do work on the sub make sure that it is a good job, once you’re Subsea you don’t want to recover because its something you did or did not do right. Like yesterdays dive where my Subeng “not the first stuff up” left the 7 function jaws bolted shut, 2 hour turnaround we are back on the job. Now I have to check every fitting and bolt that the lad dose on the Sub. This makes him think that he’s not doing his job right and wastes my time, trust is easy to loose and even harder to get back.

There are four categories that are in the ROV industry, Personality, technical ability, flying, using the arm. There are many more but in my opinion these are the higher rated.

You lock three dogs in a box for four and sometimes longer weeks, and they don’t fight then this is nunber one in my book. NO 1 Personality.

Level par are the Flying, Technical ability, using the 7.

If that says anything then learn your place and don’t gob on, enjoy yourself and your ½ way there.

I need to get back to the lads and spend some quality time on deck; lead by example and all, hope this helps and have fun.

Mick Stokes

[Scott Beveridge]

🙄

Although you may get chastised for doing so (hence the good from the bad supvs.), ASK QUESTIONS!!! And better to do so when you’re seen reading any manual pertaining to the ROV you’re working on…

"There is no such thing as a stupid question but a question not asked…" 😉

[mickfromwestoz]

G’day All

I’ve done 2 hitches since my post and I’m enjoying it all and the feedback I’ve got has been good so far – I hope I’m not in blissful ignorance!

For those that gave practical helpful advice thanks it was very useful.

For Mick Stokes
Re my comments of the ROV course – It was advice that I received from others in the industry which was basically the ROV course @ $7K AUD was not value for money the books/manuals were priced @$400 AUD which I also couldn’t justify. I’ve since got a lot of material from the blokes I’m working with. My memory is a bit rusty but your name is familiar- Are you an exRAAFIE and were you at Base Radio Pearce @1987?.

Cheers

Mick 😀

[star]

i think trainees should learn more rather than just get the mundane winch jockey operations, yes i know we all started there, but this attitude of leaving the trainee to paint and do the shite jobs is all very well but if he/she is going on a system regular , and all the supervisor gets him to do every trip is the shit jobs , then how is he/she going to get better. too many assholes in the Rov industry that started way down the line, got treated like shit and continued passing on treatment to others when they made up to higher positions.. mind you there is just too many assholes in the industry full stop. I have been in industry some years also did supervisor but also treat others how i would like to be treated. respect is earned not demanded. too many asshole supervisors on there own mission. ITS ONLY A FUCKING JOB . 😀

[Flymatt022]

…..leaving the trainee to paint and do the shite jobs is all very well but if he/she is going on a system regular , and all the supervisor gets him to do every trip is the shit jobs , then how is he/she going to get better….treat others how i would like to be treated. respect is earned not demanded

It really, really pains me to say this but. I have to agree with you here star. Mind you I would….I’m a trainee.

Matt.

[Itchie]

Mick From west oz.

Sorry old sausage never in the WAFF.
PS you never said who your working for, next time you go out then ask the fellas there if they have heard of me, they should be able to give you some feedback, on how good looking I am (seeing as though you were a WAFFie), lol.

Hey STAR "did you have an abused ROV childhood"? lol

Have fun chaps.

Mick Stokes not so anonymous

[star]

😥 no i just had to work with some very anal dumb ass supervisors that take this too seriously.. fuck off to them out there. leave it to the guys that can do the job, have a laugh, and get on well with people. it is only a fucking job! stop the back stabbing , being insecure and down right asshole out there and for fucks sakes stop moaning!
the supervisors that show a profesional attitude, keep a system running, keep a client happy, send the office the bullshit they need and still smile at the end of the day. these are the guys that should be out on systems. oh and septic tanks should just fetch the tea, drive the winch and generally stay away from anything that requires a thought process. infact just stay away! 😛 😆

[Scott Beveridge]

😥 no i just had to work with some very anal dumb ass supervisors that take this too seriously.. fuck off to them out there. leave it to the guys that can do the job, have a laugh, and get on well with people. it is only a fucking job! stop the back stabbing , being insecure and down right asshole out there and for fucks sakes stop moaning!
the supervisors that show a profesional attitude, keep a system running, keep a client happy, send the office the bullshit they need and still smile at the end of the day. these are the guys that should be out on systems. oh and septic tanks should just fetch the tea, drive the winch and generally stay away from anything that requires a thought process. infact just stay away! 😛 😆

You’ve got a serious problem son. Stop yur whingein’ about Americans – we’re not all like that. Ask anyone who has worked with me 🙄 🙄 🙄 Tell you what… why don’t you stop being so anomynous (since you’re an ROV superstar) and send me a PM WITH YOUR REAL NAME. I’ll get you on a job with me to prove that not all Americans can be classified in your terms. Or are you all walk and no talk – just like Mr. Trout who has yet to take on this challenge. Whataya’ say boy??

[star]

ha ha ha 😆 so as per usual you used what brain cells you have to muster up that, but you still take the bait.. thought you were so experienced not to! but then again you are a yank! now go flip some burgers Boy, while yer at it make mine a coffee as well.

[Scott Beveridge]

ha ha ha 😆 so as per usual you used what brain cells you have to muster up that, but you still take the bait.. thought you were so experienced not to! but then again you are a yank! now go flip some burgers Boy, while yer at it make mine a coffee as well.

Thought I was being nice, civil, and giving you a chance – I see you’re still being the super wimp and staying anomynous – what about that PM with your real name. Forget about having you on the job… Go see a shrink punk! Sad little piece of crap you are… Change your handle to Black star cuz’ that’s what book you’re in – the black one. Once again, the PM punk.

[star]

I can see every time you bite at the bait. and once again you do it.. 😆

[Scott Beveridge]

🙄

Now shall we get back to the thread???

Someone said earlier that trainees should basically shut their mouths, drive the winch (for awhile), make the coffees and teas (for while), soak everything in, and IF the supv. is responsive and positive to the candidates endeavors, the said candidate can (or should be able to) ask ANY question pertaining to the task at hand without so much and a stiff upper lip or the "tsssk, tsssks" that are all to common amongst self-impressed ROVers. My comment to this is (my words…) "There’s no silly questions but the ones not asked"…

There… Done… finally back onto some more constructive replies…

[star]

no not done.. everyone has the right to an opinion, not just the supervisors( i go out as supervisor) and I have seen a supervisor been corrected by a trainee. infact a few times. and this supervisor was experienced but the trainee, noticed something which supervisor did not.and corrected it. I think trainees should be taught as much as possible when they ask questions, read the system manuals. and try to take note or get involved when a repair is getting done. but dont do anything, fiddling and adjusting anything on system unless the supervisor knows about it. mind you i have seen some supervisors that like to fiddle and adjust systems etc. and fuck it up. then a trainee came along and fixed it. as said before respect is earned not demanded because people become supervisor. when i have a trainee on my shift i respect him not treat him like shit. If he takes advantage of this then i put foot down. this seems to be a attitude alot of guys have out there.

[Author]

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