Former brickie Lee Fish's move from brickie to oil and gas thanks to AIS Training.
The 30-year-old from Ashington trained as a brick-layer after leaving school and went on to work in the construction industry for several large contractors. But after 13-years Lee was keen to build a better life for his family and felt it was time for a career change. When the chance of taking redundancy from his job as a brick-layer came along, Lee decided to take the plunge and retrain for a new career in the booming offshore energy sector.
Lee said: “With a young family to support it was a big decision to give up my job and go into something completely different but I knew I had to give it a go. A few of my friends work offshore earning really good money and it was something I’d always fancied but didn’t know where to start.
“I’d heard about AIS Training’s brand new state-of-the-art offshore training complex in North Shields so contacted them for advice on how to get an offshore job and which training courses make you most employable. As well as all the mandatory offshore courses such as offshore sea survival and basic medical and safety training, I went on to complete blaster / painter and fire proofing courses with AIS Training.
“But it wasn’t just the training, AIS helped me structure my CV to make it stand out to offshore employers and also put me in touch with a number of companies who were looking for new personnel. Within just eight weeks I’d secured my first job as a fire proofer and blaster working in an oil refinery off the coast of Scotland.
“The job’s fantastic - I’m earning four times as much as I was before and I get to spend one week in three off with my family which gives us lots of quality time together. There are loads of job opportunities for blaster painters offshore and I can see a clear career path moving forward. Re-training has definitely been the best decision for me and I can’t thank AIS Training enough for helping me to get where I am now.”
Managing Director of AIS, Paul Stonebanks, said: “We’re delighted to hear of Lee’s success. The offshore sector is currently booming and desperately needs skilled personnel meaning there are numerous job opportunities available for competent individuals with the right qualifications.
“At AIS we have an excellent track record of getting people into jobs by equipping them with highly employable skills, which Lee’s case clearly demonstrates. As well as providing expert instruction and practical advice, we also offer a unique online career planning service which enables delegates to manage their training programme, upload certificates, plan their career path and create a world-class CV all at the click of a button. This underlines our commitment to helping and supporting everyone who comes through our doors.”
** After a successful period offshore, Lee is now putting his skills into teaching the next generation of fabric maintenance technicians as a trainer with the company that helped launch his careeer; AIS Training.
