Where is the best training center?

[rover22]

Hi Guys,

I have visited Fort William (under new management last year) and worked offshore with about 8 guys who trained there since then. By far, hands down best techs were those who were ex-forces with a technical trade or trade-tested techs in some discipline who happened to do the ROV course at Fort William. I think it gave them a good intro to the industry, but to be fair, most of these guys would have been fine starting offshore having done a survival course and being sent offshore with a half-decent supervisor.

I do not think that the tech ccourses offered can in any way impart enough knowledge to make a non-tech able to work on systems, but it will give him/her some insight into it.

I have one issue though, how can Fort William as a training institution sign off all PT II competencies? These are meant to be done offshore by their supervisors or senior pilots, at least that is what I was told by IMCA when questioning this. I raise this issue as all trainees I have supervised from Fort William have log books with signed and completed PT II competencies- all ten!!!! I believe that all that should be issued is a course certificate. Also, I have spent many hours coaching and explaining the ROV competence scheme to trainees, doing assessments etc and can recommend to FW to add this as a subject as I believe it to be vital that the student knows and understands this, regardless of what the old and bold say.

Lasly, although they do a fine job, as good as any school and better than some, it only takes one bad trainee with a poor attitude to spoil their name. I had one of these and he tried to convince me that (a) I must keep the black box running 24/7 on deck and in water (allegedly taught at FW, but I dont think so), and that to make the vehicle buoyant, I must shift ballast weights on the vehicle (he obviously missed a lecture on the difference between buoyancy and trim).

Also worth mentioning, many trainees I work with have told me that they know that courses are best paid for by companies, but without exception, the first line of defence by ROV personnel departments is "do a course, get qualified and come back to us" so I can understand why people do courses.

Regards,

ROVER 22

[tsk]

I have a diploma in electronics from my 3 years tertiary education. i had sent it to the Underwater Center and they said i am eligible to skip the 4weeks of electronics/hydraulic course with them.

however my work all these years has nothing to do with electronics. Hence, if i get my certification as a ROV pilot from the Underwater Center, am i considered as zero electronics background and probably will not be able to get a job?

[James McLauchlan]

I have a diploma in electronics from my 3 years tertiary education. i had sent it to the Underwater Center and they said i am eligible to skip the 4weeks of electronics/hydraulic course with them.

however my work all these years has nothing to do with electronics. Hence, if i get my certification as a ROV pilot from the Underwater Center, am i considered as zero electronics background and probably will not be able to get a job?

tsk

I have noticed that you have asked a very similar question in another thread. Please try not to do that other wise people end up trying to deal with two threads on the same topic. In effect it’s double posting, which is a non starter.

best regards
James Mc.

[James McLauchlan]

I have one issue though, how can Fort William as a training institution sign off all PT II competencies? These are meant to be done offshore by their supervisors or senior pilots, at least that is what I was told by IMCA when questioning this. I raise this issue as all trainees I have supervised from Fort William have log books with signed and completed PT II competencies- all ten!!!! I believe that all that should be issued is a course certificate.

I don’t think Ft William or any land based training establishment should be signing off on PTII competencies. Maybe the system needs adjusting so that there are just ‘basic training’ inshore type competencies signed off at the school and PTII happens at the work site only.

I mean…. how can someone head offshore as a PTII when they may not ever have been at sea in their life and certainly never launched an ROV in a 1.5m swell? Let alone fill a slot in the team as a ‘qualified’ PT which they are on the team as!

The school should send them out as trainees and people completing the course should believe they are trainees… with that fact clearly stated on any tickets issued. Certainly not PTII’s!

As sensible as it may appear (to me at least) there is no incentive for the companies to back this idea though because they would then not be able to charge the client full rate for a ‘Trainee’ masquerading as a Pilot Tech!!

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