Any one here a Rope access technician?!?

I'm thinking about changing careers and am looking into rope access technician field... I have a few questions reguarding the training and certification. Would it be better to do training and certification through IRATA or through a SPRAT program?!? Also was it hard to find a job as a level 1 "green" tech? It's not something I would be doing immediately as I would need to save up enough money to travel to where the course is and to actually take the course itself. Another question I have is how is the working schedule? How long are you away from home at at time(roughly) are travel expenses covered by the company you are employed through? Where are some places you have worked and what have you worked on?!? What's the pros and cons you have came across while being employed as a RAT? Thanks in advance!!

Thanks man! Just something I was looking into, cant be on my hands and knees forever setting tile and hardwood ;)

CRAG-list-KILLA wrote:
I'm thinking about a career of a rope access technician and need a training to do my homework to save money for traveling and then find a company to get employed.

Hi,
What did you choose?
I've just registered for an IRATA Rope Access Level 1 technician course. I was choosing between SPRAT or IRATA, but eventually, I'm going to get an IRATA certificate. Not sure, but still. I need to make the first step to become a pro.

Get both certs, or just get the IRATA.  You can level up more quickly as a SPRAT, but most jobs prefer IRATA certs and IRATA will eventually let you work internationally.  I got both as a combined course.  There 'was' plenty of work for green techs, but with the pandemic, lots of things have slowed down.  Travel expenses are paid, it took me about six months to find a job, but I was already working a different sort of contract, so I wasn't looking for work as a rope tech very aggressively.  I've only worked contracts that are six weeks on, some weeks off.  Most techs will stay for the entire job, and some like me will work six or more weeks then go climbing.    I've worked on three stadiums and one outdoor gig.  Most of the work is in the wind turbine industry, but I haven't signed up yet because I'm not at a point where I can take off an entire summer for travel work.