Question: How did you get into the job of managing and coordinating the training of offshore surveyors?

Tom Rooney answered on 19 Jun 2017:

During the last phase of my Royal Navy career I spent quite a bit of time delivering and planning training. I did 3 years training engineers at sea and 2 years training new recruits and I love both jobs and, while doing the recruit training job, I went to Plymouth university part time to qualify as a teacher (not easy!).
I also spent about 6 months at the recruit school planning, designing and supporting the training activity across 4 divisions (up to 480 recruits at any one time), leading a team of 20 people to help me.
When I left the navy I wanted to find a role in engineering that also ticked the training box for me, I had accepted a cool job as a project manager for the Royal Navy amphibious assault ships refitting programmes and then I saw a job advertised at Sonardyne… it was the job I had been looking for! I applied, interviewed and got the job. I had to work hard to learn a new sector, new vocabulary, new equipment and new concepts, but within 2 years I was promoted into my current position leading the training activity worldwide.
You set your course in life, but you never really know where it will take you. Always keep an eye out for opportunities and work hard to make them work for you. If you find the job you love you’ll never work a day of your life!