How to get a dpo certificate ?

**shaunmato** · June 9th, 2009, 12:13 PM

I have a 3rd mate unlim. ticket sail on ships out of the union but it sucks right now so i would like to go to rigs as DPO but i dont know how to do that can someone please give me a yellow brick road to follow ? thanks shaun ...

**seadawg** · June 9th, 2009, 12:52 PM

contact the drilling companies..for the right applicant they sometimes provide the training leading to the certificate.

**Capt. Lee** · June 9th, 2009, 01:11 PM

Shaunmato- I think there are several angles for you to land this position but here are two ideas.

1- Get on with an OSV company as a mate that has DP vessels. A lot of times they will hire an individual that has a mate's license and send them to the DP training. Once you get your DP certificate you can look for a position elsewhere or stay there if you are happy. Some OSV Companies that have DP are Chouest, Seacor, Tidewater, Otto Candies, Gulf Offshore Logisitics, Kilgore Offshore. There are others, but these are a few of the bigger ones.
2- Actively apply at the drilling companies. Transocean, Noble, Pride, Seadrill, Ensco, Frontier, etc. Sometimes these companies will hire a DPO trainee or a deck Mate that will get your foot in the door.

To qualify for a Nautical Institue DP Certification you have to attend a 5 Day Basic DP class. Return to a vessel with DP and do 30 days of indoctrination on the DP system and have the book signed by the Master and then return to school for the 5 day Advanced DP class. Then return to work in the capacity of a DPO or DPO trainee and complete 180 days of documented time on a DP vessel. Have your book signed and mail it to the Nautical Institute in the UK. Wait about 2-6 weeks and they send you a DP certificate.

Put yourself out there and be aggressive. Eventually someone will notice and you may get a chance. I don't know about a yellow brick road, but you are definitely not in Kansas anymore.

**rjbpilot** · June 13th, 2009, 07:40 PM

Capt. Lee,

I am in a similar situation as shaunmato, I have been a First Class pilot of Great Lakes since 1994. I have worked as Mate on bulk vessels up here and as a Pilot for a pilot association up here. I also have a Third Mate unlimited Near Coastal license. I worked for Seabulk in 98 offshore and have 108 days ocean time. I can not get an answer from NMC about the exact requirements for the upgrading from Near Coastal to Oceans. Do you know of any one that has done this and is it a matter of sea time or just writing the Celestial portion? I also am hoping to get back on an osv and get the dp cert. I was thinking of paying for it myself but I don't have $2500 laying around right now. Do you know of any future hiring ECO might be doing? I almost went there in 98 but Seabulk had an immediate opening. They didn't have a very good business plan apparently. I like piloting up here, but the jobs are all dried up. I have been registered at the amo hall since last november in the no. 1 position!

Thanks for any info.

**seadawg** · June 13th, 2009, 08:04 PM

rjbpilot,

long ago in a land faraway..I went from 1600tn masters n/c to oceans by taking a celestial course at sea school mobile (a joke) and testing (20 questions/90%) at rec nola..is something similar still available or have they screwed w/ that too?

**rollingstone** · November 5th, 2011, 08:40 AM

This is a classic HR move. They call you and tell you the company requires a DP Certificate for the job(which most of them don't, technically). Then you ask how do I get the Certificate? "Well, you have to work on a DP vessel as Officer for 6 months after taking the DP courses". This all works down to the old; you can't get the job until you have the experience and you can't get the experience, because you don't have the job. Sure makes it easy for a US Mariner to now jump through even more hoops, eh?