Chapter 6

Advancement and Training

Advancement offshore will depend primarily on two things:

1. The company you work for; and
2. Your particular abilities.

There are many rigs and boats which have a shortage of experienced hands. This is usually caused by people shifting around and looking for the best money, benefits, and opportunities they can find.

All companies want you to advance. They want you to become better trained so you can take a more responsible position. This makes you a greater asset to them. Some companies have excellent training programs to help you move up the ladder, with trainee slots for every most positions. Other companies have only marginally efficient training programs or none whatsoever.

You own ability speaks for itself. I always believed a man could do almost anything he wanted to do, given half a chance. I still believe that. You can look around all day long and find thousands of examples which will prove that. A lot of where you go in life, whether it be in the offshore industry or elsewhere, will depend entirely on you, won't it?

More and more offshore positions are being required to be certified by some Coast Guard approved certification agency. In order to get these certifications, you will have to go to a specialty school. The length of time it takes to complete one of these schools ranges anywhere from a few days to several weeks. If you attend any of these schools on your off time, you will usually be paid your normal wages (eight hours a day if you are an hourly employee). Salaried people normally don't receive compensation for special schools as their attendance is part of their job requirement. Room and board are provided for both salaried and hourly workers, and compensation is often given for mileage traveled.

Outside schools include: Able Seaman; Life Boatman; Master; Offshore Drilling Units; Marine Firefighting; EMD Maintenance and Operation (representing the Electric Motor Division of General Motors); BOP schools, Hydraulic; and the list goes on and on. Naturally, the mandatory classes are also included.

The more schools you complete, the more credentials you have when you shop for another job. What this means is the company you're working for is financing your future. Thank them!