Offshore guys.....

[Jordan8999]

Evening fellow PHer's...this is one for the guys working Offshore.

A bit of background info on myself...I left school at 16 and went to study Engineering at college, I started my own company in my spare time, which ended up taking over and I dropped out of college, once I got my HNC.

At 18 I then decided to apply for Engineering jobs...I got in with a large Civil Engineering firm, after much discussions with my seniors it was evident that I was more suited to the commercial side of things, so I was then put through uni (day release) doing Quantity Surveying.

I'm now 22 with a QS degree and 4 years experience, working on projects ranging from £1.5M upto £25M, all over the country.

I now fancy a change....I have always wanted to work offshore, but never known the best way to go about it, or even if my experience has any relevance?

Is there any work offshore that is commercially angled....or is it all engineering based (drillers ect...)

Anyone who has any advice on where I should be applying or what sort of jobs I should be going for, it would be much apreciated.

Regards,

J

[Craphouserat]

Probably get some good feedback if you post this in the Scotland forum.

[Xtype]

I spent a few years working offshore, it is hard to break into the industry but once you get a foot in the door, your be ok from then on. Although I have never worked in the North Sea people say the best way is to take a trip to Aberdeen and try and meet recruiters/companies face to face rather than one of the hundreds of CVs that they get emailed.

It took me about 4 months of constant searching the internet and contacting companies before I managed to secure my first job, which was from emailing a company direct.

I also had a few phone calls and emails from other companies that I had contacted direct with a cover letter and my CV attached asking about any postions they might have that meet my experience as not all the jobs are listed on the websites.

edit - I had no luck what so ever from recruiters, not even a reply from an email, but I got plenty of feedback and calls from companies that I had contacted direct.

The best way to get into the industry is from who you know, its how I got two friends jobs who had no previous offshore experience, you also get alot of job oppertunitys from working with different contractors through your travels. I was working in the Bahamas for a month where two different companies requested my resume if I was interested in working with them but at that time I was looking to return back to the UK to further my education which I am still doing now.

my situation was quite different as I never worked in the same place, but rather traveled anywhere in the world with 24hours notice.

sorry for any spelling or gramma errors..I have just got in from night school and my brain is quite fried!

[anonymous-user]

I work as a consultant to an oil major in a commercial role, PM me if you like, best bet is to go somewhere no one want to go, for your first job, lots of work around if you have experience, I was offered three jobs last month.

[shirt]

get in touch with lefty 200 drams on here. he is a QS in the oil industry having started [iirc] as a building surveyor.

i doubt you'd get offshore based work, but will get to travel a fair bit and could get work abroad if you wanted it.

[Vipers]

Berw said:

I work as a consultant to an oil major in a commercial role, PM me if you like, best bet is to go somewhere no one want to go, for your first job, lots of work around if you have experience, I was offered three jobs last month.

At all costs, avoid Nigeria.

[anonymous-user]

I agree about Nigera, but it can be a start point, as long as you are on a camp Africa is not to bad, (subject to you get the money right)

[Jordan8999]

Thanks for all the replies

Berw, I have sent you a PM.

Tbh, I'm really willing to travel anywhere...as long as the money is ok.

Are most of these jobs (Nigeria/Iraq ect..) done on rotation (3 months on 1 month off ect..) or are you based there for the full time of the project?

The main reason I'm looking at these options now, is so that I can go and work away whilst I don't have any commitments aka...a wife and kids!

Thanks again,

J

[Sebo]

If you go to a complete hell-hole, can you ask for a personal hand gun?

[Xtype]

Jordan8999 said:

Thanks for all the replies

Berw, I have sent you a PM.

Tbh, I'm really willing to travel anywhere...as long as the money is ok.

Are most of these jobs (Nigeria/Iraq ect..) done on rotation (3 months on 1 month off ect..) or are you based there for the full time of the project?

The main reason I'm looking at these options now, is so that I can go and work away whilst I don't have any commitments aka...a wife and kids!

Thanks again,

J

I was purely on call out, no rotation, I would be called out and could be there anywhere from a day or two to 6 weeks, mostly it was for 4 - 5 days. with a week off or if I was unlucky a few days.