New career leap

[Rich Rule]

2 hours ago, Craigb said:

NDT? As in Lola testing?

NDT Non Destructive testing of welds etc in pipeline engineering, amongst other things.

[Craigb]

1 hour ago, Rich Rule said:

NDT Non Destructive testing of welds etc in pipeline engineering, amongst other things.

Ah I thought you ment ndt but in the arb sector.

[jfc]

After my Dad passed away he left me some money, we paid off the mortgage and it made me consider what I wanted to do with the rest of my working life. I changed career at 45 (was an NHS nurse) to go into Arb, the money was rubbish to begin with (even with felling <380mm, climbing and rescue tickets), in fairness there's a lot to learn and teaching/training folk takes time and money. Almost 10yrs on I have my own business and employ a couple of other guys. Still climbing and cutting and have a comfortable life from my work, at no point have I regretted my decision.

[Crocky]

3 hours ago, Craigb said:

Ah I thought you ment ndt but in the arb sector.

he's right. NDT would be the way to go. get a welding inspection ticket and your BOSIET and you can go earn £400 a day offshore. Or weld offshore and get around the same money. then do tree work in your time off and have no worries about the financial impact. if you want top go down that route build the business while working offshore. 

[trigger_andy]

2 minutes ago, Crocky said:

he's right. NDT would be the way to go. get a welding inspection ticket and your BOSIET and you can go earn £400 a day offshore. Or weld offshore and get around the same money. then do tree work in your time off and have no worries about the financial impact. if you want top go down that route build the business while working offshore. 

Is the UK sector still paying that kinda money? From speaking with folk I used to work with in the North Sea those days are long gone and many skills/trades have been replaced by cheap Eastern European labour. Agency work might pay £400 a day I guess? But its not regular work and you're not an employee with any of the perks or stability.

[Crocky]

1 minute ago, trigger_andy said:

Is the UK sector still paying that kinda money? From speaking with folk I used to work with in the North Sea those days are long gone and many skills/trades have been replaced by cheap Eastern European labour. Agency work might pay £400 a day I guess? But its not regular work and you're not an employee with any of the perks or stability.

Yes. money is back up in the north sea. especially if you have a trade. Welding inspectors get paid good money. not as much regular work as you might be as a welder or rope access welder.

[trigger_andy]

7 minutes ago, Crocky said:

Yes. money is back up in the north sea. especially if you have a trade. Welding inspectors get paid good money. not as much regular work as you might be as a welder or rope access welder.

Im glad things are back on the up. Was getting real bad for a while.

[Crocky]

11 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

Im glad things are back on the up. Was getting real bad for a while.

yeah it was. now they cant get enough people with skills. 

[trigger_andy]

Just now, Crocky said:

yeah it was. now they cant get enough people with skills. 

That a huge problem. Those with skills who are getting underpaid off-shore and told that its ok because you get lots of time off instead end up working on-shore and get to see their families each day and never head back off-shore to the crappy UK conditions on UK sector rigs. £400 a day should entice a few back, but its generally 3 on 3 off in the UK, right? 

[Crocky]

5 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

That a huge problem. Those with skills who are getting underpaid off-shore and told that its ok because you get lots of time off instead end up working on-shore and get to see their families each day and never head back off-shore to the crappy UK conditions on UK sector rigs. £400 a day should entice a few back, but its generally 3 on 3 off in the UK, right? 

 

yeah 3x3 for contractors and 2x3 for a lot of the operators. unless youre on a shell asset. theyre all on 2x3. dont get me wrong not everyone is on £400 but a welding inspector would be. a few NDT quals and a rope ticket will get you £360 if you have some experience. IRATA level 3s are in shortage too.