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1 November 2023
Embarking on a journey from seasoned Able Seaman to the dynamic role of a Gangway Operator, Ilja Burcevs recounts his transformative experience within the offshore industry. As he is about to complete his training, we get a chance to chat with Ilja about how his pursuit of professional advancement led him to the Walk 2 Work (W2W) Academy of Ampelmann, where he transitioned into the challenging yet rewarding position of a Gangway Operator.
Every new journey starts with a decision to change course – but things are always easier if you have an idea about which course to take. Racking up invaluable experience as an Able Seaman for over 13 years, Ilja realized how he has done everything he could do and set out to explore new opportunities within the industry: “On my previous job, as an Able Seaman, I felt like I reached a point when it is impossible for me to improve further. I feel that I have outgrown my current position, so to be able to advance professionally has become my number one priority,” Ilja explains.
His introduction to the Gangway Operator position? Well, it was by chance, and a very welcome one: “Since I have been working Offshore for 13 years, mainly in Oil & Gas industry and on vessels like Tugs, Chemical tankers, Oil tankers, RoRo and RoPaxs vessels, Containers ships, ERRVs and PSVs. I was getting ready to change things a little bit. I trained to be a Wind Turbine Technician for the Renewables industry. However, when this opportunity with Ampelmann arose I was like, why not try it? After applying for the position with Atlas Professionals, I first passed all the necessary interviews, and now here I am – learning how to be a Gangway Operator!”
Getting to Know Gangway Operators
What does a gangway operator do, then?
A gangway operator plays a critical role in ensuring safe and efficient access to ships, especially in ports and offshore operations. This job demands keen attention to detail, as Professionals must ensure that gangways are securely fastened, monitor weight limits, and follow strict safety protocols. Additionally, gangway operators also often serve as a welcoming face for travellers, offering assistance and information as needed.
Thus, having social skills and a can-do mentality is highly beneficial as the position involves a lot of hands-on discussions with other stakeholders and Professionals to ensure safe travel can be secured. The level of attention to detail one has to demonstrate is the prime reason why trained Professionals are highly sought after: “Every day you talk with Captains, Clients – people who know their way around the vessel and the job. Then you get a chance to interact with transferees as well, so this is a human-centric job.”
And this is true for all Gangway Operator positions across the globe, and the global aspect of the job also appeals to Ilja: “Ampelmann tries to send people across the world for different jobs all the time and I think that is really interesting. I can be working in US for a project and next thing you know I can find myself working in the Norwegian Sea. It’s pretty cool.”
Real Training Before the Trip, not During
Training down at the Ampelmann Operations centre is known to be one of the best in the industry. Trainees get a chance to discover what their role entails and how to work with various types of machinery in a safe manner: “We cover a lot of ground during our training both in terms of theory and practice. For theory, we go over anything that is related to our position, like electronics, hydraulics – all the necessary procedures, what to do in certain situations if an emergency comes up and other relevant concepts that will be needed during our time offshore,” adds Ilja with a smile.
Not everything is theory of course, and proper, on-hands training programs are always valued by both our Professionals and Clients, as they offer exceptionally valuable opportunities for both our Professionals and Clients – and this is that made W2W special for Ilja and most probably other Professionals as well!
Ilja explains how he got a chance to work with real gangways and real situations during his training and how that was an invaluable experience: “During my training, I’ve had a chance to be on real projects with real operators, I did some real landings and also the maintenance of the gangway.” He continues: “Ampelmann has one-of-a-kind training facility out here that has the hardest crane to operate – which is good, as when you learn the hardest one, operating others becomes much more convenient and easier to handle. So basically, I have experienced how the work goes thanks to all these precautions, and yeah, I like it a lot!”
We then ask how his interaction with Atlas Professionals was, from the moment he signed up all the way to finalizing his training, and we once again feel gratuitous for the hard work of our colleagues: “Atlas Professionals, like their name, was really professional. All the papers were on time, communication was clear and effective. I have heard good things about Atlas Professionals even before signing up and all I can say is the word on the street was true, and I am glad I joined.”
