Part 1 was posted yesterday. The title is similar to this one, I can't link it but it's not difficult to find. It concerns the main qualification which underlies this post - IRATA Level 1 - and how to get it. This itself is not a job. It's a license to work on ropes, which can get you a job. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t693ppPnof4) For the sake of clarity, this is what being a RAT looks like. It's a demonstration of one of the trickier manouevres you'll be trained how to perform. Search Youtube for "IRATA Level 1" for more. Thanks to rpscrote for pointing out the need for visualisation.

That skill is only, in the words of my instructor "The bus to work." There are a few jobs you can get without any further qualifications, mostly involving cleaning of some sort. This is because most humans automatically understand how to clean something that's dirty, but there are qualifications you can get for working at height generally, which you will probably need for bigger, more formal cleaning contracts in city centres. They don't hire cowboys to clean famous skyscrapers, which brings me onto the object of this second part; trades, qualifications and offshore work.

In essence, you've got your bus to work, now. Great. You can get some of the lower-hanging fruit already, but those jobs pay less, so now you need to build yourself into the Chad Thundercock of RATs, with potential employers being the metaphorical women. This is none too cheap, but you'll already be able to earn good money cleaning windows on ropes (compared to other careers for which you can qualify in a week) to save up for them. Believe me, it's worth it - offshore is where the real bucks are.

The Generics - Onshore cleaning/painting etc SafePass (1 day - €80) Really basic site safety. ECITB CCNSG Safety Passport (2 days - ~€200) Similar to above. How to be safe on sites.

Other general safety certs too. This can be very pick & mix. Some employers demand first aid training (usually basic, of which there are too many certs to list), some want both of the above, and some don't really give a shit. The above two are common, but you might find another which a company near you always likes to ask for. As I said in part 1, treat this like Pokemon - collect them all. Get one of them and job hunt, and if you see a job requiring one you've never heard of, get that too, if you can. It'll get you work which pays you back for training costs pretty quick.

The Generics - Oil/Gas rigs - all are recommended Medical certificate (OGUK - offshore rigs - €225) Get prodded, poked and asked about medical history. Minimum Industry Safety training (MIST - offshore rigs - 2 days - €450) "This jobs is dangerous, here's how." Basic Offshore Safety Induction & Emergency Training (BOSIET - offshore rigs - 1 day - €850) First aid, escaping a crashed chopper etc. Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CAEBS - offshore rigs - 1.5 hour - €100) If the shit hits the fan, this will keep you alive in a submerged chopper while you escape.

The Generics - Wind Turbines on & offshore - all are recommended Global Wind Organisation Basic Safety Training (GWOBST - 2 days - €630) The cert you'll always need to work on wind turbines, which is a large and growing industry. Global Wind Organisation Manual Handling (4 hours - €100) How to not drop things from height while working on turbines. Medical certificate (RenewableUK - €245) Get prodded, poked and asked about medical history. Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CAEBS - offshore turbines - 1.5 hour - €100) If the shit hits the fan, this will keep you alive in a submerged chopper while you escape.

Again, there are too many different qualifications to list, but the above are the most common. You can't go offshore without MIST, BOSIET, CAEBS and some sort of medical. Some offshore work will require other certs, some not. But here's the kicker; if you have a trade (see below) and they really need to fill some spots for an imminent trip, it's not at all unheard of for the company to pay for all your training just to get you for that job. This can include the whole MIST and BOSIET package.

The trades which you can use offshore. Usually, guys already have these, and then they get their IRATA, MIST, BOSIET etc Electrician (usually after a full-on apprenticeship). Welder (loads of types). Plater. Rigger/Slinger. Mechanical (fitter). Painting & Blasting. Inspection (NDT / NACE / LEEA). Instrumentation Engineer. Thermal Insulation Engineer (also called lagger). Pipe Fitter (I recommend this, see below).

My plan One of the easiest trades to get into, which pays very well, is Pipe Fitter. You can get work on and offshore, on and off ropes. For this you will need ECITB Mechanical Joint Integrity (MJI) 10, 18 and 19. This is basically how to bolt/unbolt pipes, equalising pressure as you go. So you do one bolt up to 1/3 torque, do its opposite to 1/3 torque, do the farthest bolt to 1/3 torque, then its opposite etc. This is a 3-5 day course, costing €500.

The next step to this is becoming a TMJI - which means trade-tested. You have to work for 12 months, then you go back and re-train under inspection - if you pass, you become a TMJI, and that means more money and more job opportunities. It will also make you the chief pipe fitter on a rig, because not too many people bother getting TMJI. My father does this, and is often the only TMJI on rigs, meaning he technically leads all the other pipe fitters. Realistically, it doesn't usually mean any more responsibility to lead, it's just a technicality.

I have no relevant background/starting qualifications. I just got IRATA Level 1 and am saving up for my offshore certs.

Resources http://www.rigg-access.com/ (Good job site, loads of huge company profiles here, well worth registering) https://www.maersktraining.com/ (Huge training company, many training locations) http://www.effectiveoffshore.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=featured&Itemid=101 (training company based in Northern Ireland)

It's also worth browsing all the big job sites and searching for rope access/offshore work. One excellent strategy for those living near/in the UK - go to offshore expos and conferences in Aberdeen. There are a few industrial parks there full of offshore companies, if you walk around with a folder full of CVs, it's well worth it. Networking is key in this industry. Make friends and you'll get told about work that hasn't been advertised yet.

Quick lifestyle summary Lots of travel is generally required, almost always paid for in full, including accommodation, by the company hiring you. You'll most often work freelance, going from company to company for contracts. They can vary from a couple of trips to 12 month+ contracts. The work is usually 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off or similar, ie 3 on 1 off, sometimes 4 on 2 off etc. When you're on a rig, you're there 24/7. You won't get holidays like Christmas off. You'll tend to work 10 hours a day nominally, but in reality you can often spend a significant portion of your day drinking tea, waiting for a permit to do a particular job getting signed, a weather report to be done etc. You'll get to sit around if there are high winds that day. Safety is paramount in the offshore sector.

3 meals per day, usually very good meals at that. Good, free gyms abound on offshore oil rigs. Internet/phone connectivity can be sketchy. Sometimes, you'll be delayed getting off a rig due to high winds/fog which restrict chopper travel/accessibility to the helideck. Sometimes your boss will be a wanker and will work you very hard. You can also get randomly tested for blood alcohol levels/drugs, but not often.

Final Note I don't know very much about turbine work, or onshore oil rig work, but I've given as much info on them as I can. Offshore rigs are mainly what I know about, and where I'm aiming to go, as there aren't many onshore oil rigs in my part of the world.