An ROV is a Remotely Operated Vehicle. These are mostly used in environments where it is either too dangerous or inaccessible for humans to operate. In the wind industry ROV’s are used to lay cables between wind turbines and from the wind farm back to shore. They will dig the trenches and lay the cable as well as carrying out subsea maintenance work too.
It doesn’t require much theoretical training to become an ROV operator, although there will be a number of practical skills and competency courses to complete. Clearly a comprehensive knowledge of the specific ROV’s operating methods and controls is critical.
Courses and Training
Before getting employment it will be necessary to complete the basic training described below. In most cases, once you have a job, the ROV operators will provide training on how to control and operate the specific ROV’s they use.
The basic wind training must be approved by RenewableUK (RUK) and / or the Global Wind Organisation (GWO). The basic training is made up of:
- Sea Survival
- Fire Awareness
- First Aid
- Working at Height
- Manual Handling
It would be worthwhile looking at a number of job roles to see what the common requirements are. There may be specific training for the trade you are doing as we discussed earlier. It would be advisable to reach out to some companies and specific job roles to work out what training and qualifications you might need.
