THE majority of people taking remotely operated vehicle (ROV) pilot training courses at a Scottish centre quickly land jobs, according to new research out yesterday.
The Underwater Centre, at Fort William, surveyed 75 previous students to track their career progression and the commercial success of its ROV courses. It emerged that 71% of students who undertook an ROV course at the centre since 2006 were in employment, with the average taking only three months to find a post. The average annual salary was £42,750.
There has been growing demand for the centre’s ROV courses; last year, there was a 71% increase in the uptake compared with 2007.
With one energy business analyst forecasting that the deepwater oil and gas sector will spend £112billion between 2009 and 2013, the demand for ROV personnel is expected to continue.
Steve Ham, general manager at the centre, said: “Despite the recent economic downturn, the future for the ROV industry is predicted to be very successful. As the price of oil and gas recovers, opportunities within this sector will in turn increase.
“The rise in ROV use outwith the oil and gas sector – in the rapidly expanding renewable-energy industry, for example – is also set to make the next few years the most lucrative there have been for the ROV sector yet.”
Jamal Abdulla, 24, of Thurso, cut his teeth as an instrumentation technician offshore before a career move into the ROV sector.
One month after completing his course at the centre, he secured a post at Wick-based Fathoms Diving as an ROV pilot technician.
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