Oil & gas work - Need advice

Author
Discussion

caelite

Original Poster:

4,273 posts

111 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
quotequote all
Hey folks

I know there is a lot of people in the Scottish section of the PH forum who do offshore work so Im hoping there are folks here who can give me some advice. I left school a few years ago and have been doing minimum wage ever since. After deciding I wanted to get a job in oil and gas (possibly in the North Sea as its local to me but I would love to eventually work overseas) I went on the advice of a family member who works on the rigs and went to college to get a HNC in Engineering Systems (combination of Electrical and Mechanical engi). However after looking at jobs it seems that the easiest way to get into the industry is via a North Sea apprenticeship, which has very low academic requirements (2-3 standard grades/GCSEs) which I already easily meet. (2 highers, 6-7 standard grades)

So my question is; is there any point in me sticking in and getting my college certificate (thats only valid in Scotland/UK anyway)? Or would my best bet be to start applying for apprenticeships and drop out of college if I find something.

CAE

ruggedscotty

5,606 posts

208 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
quotequote all
Stay in college get some proper certificates - going the apprentice route in the oil industry I think you would be very limited and they only really specialise in highly specific areas of the industry.

The way the oil industry is going Id be looking at the wider pictrue - get that qualification then start looking but dont drop out of college.

chrisxr2

1,127 posts

193 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
quotequote all
I wouldn't be applying for anything to do with offshore at the minute, there are more layoffs than employment what with the North sea going fixed rotation and the oil price due to stay low till at least mid 2016

creampuff

6,511 posts

142 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
quotequote all
You can't get an office based engineering jobs with a HNC/HND any more unless you are over about 50 where this was the standard qualification. I can't speak for offshore platform based roles as I do almost exclusively office work. This is just FYI.

Evanivitch

19,802 posts

121 months

Tuesday 1st December 2015
quotequote all
Start looking at the defence industry, there are Raytheon, Thales, BAR and Babcock in Scotland, and the dockyards have OPV and Frigate work to last them a good few years yet.

caelite

Original Poster:

4,273 posts

111 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2015
quotequote all
creampuff said:
You can't get an office based engineering jobs with a HNC/HND any more unless you are over about 50 where this was the standard qualification. I can't speak for offshore platform based roles as I do almost exclusively office work. This is just FYI.
Ah. Not going to be going for office based work at the moment preferably. Looking for danger pay, and I like fixing things smile. Also I think if I had to do another 2/3 years of college I might genuinely off myself lol.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2015
quotequote all
Creampuff is right, I've worked overseas for 35 years in Oil construction, no one will touch a youngster without a first degree, if your older and have experience it is different. Don't be put off about the oil industry long term it will rebound, and when it does there will be a shortage of skill, so many rigs tied up at the moment, it can't continue at current levels without effecting medium term production, lack of well maintenance is going to kick in soon.
One issue about Scotland is that a lot of people are production based, obviously a majority of offshore jobs are production based, but most expat overseas are actually development, engineering, construction orientated, the oil company I work for employs almost no western expats offshore we use locals for the physical work.
If you want to go overseas get in the engineering office not the rig.

ruggedscotty

5,606 posts

208 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2015
quotequote all
Good advice - get qualifications and then spread your wings - don't jump and chase the money it looks good just now but stays fixed at bottom rung - you want to be overseas and earning decent money with decent challenges - fixing things soon gets borning and for danger money when you are married with kids you don't want to be going risking it all.... lol

GT03ROB

13,207 posts

220 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2015
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Berw said:
Creampuff is right, I've worked overseas for 35 years in Oil construction, no one will touch a youngster without a first degree, if your older and have experience it is different. Don't be put off about the oil industry long term it will rebound, and when it does there will be a shortage of skill, so many rigs tied up at the moment, it can't continue at current levels without effecting medium term production, lack of well maintenance is going to kick in soon.
One issue about Scotland is that a lot of people are production based, obviously a majority of offshore jobs are production based, but most expat overseas are actually development, engineering, construction orientated, the oil company I work for employs almost no western expats offshore we use locals for the physical work.
If you want to go overseas get in the engineering office not the rig.
This guy speaks sense.

caelite said:
Looking for danger pay, and I like fixing things smile
Plenty of opportunities still just over the border North from here....

I'm in Kuwait by the way...

caelite

Original Poster:

4,273 posts

111 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2015
quotequote all
GT03ROB said:
Plenty of opportunities still just over the border North from here....

I'm in Kuwait by the way...
As much as being a white westerner in Iraqi (I assume thats where you meant) oil seems like a terrible idea right now...the pays good right? Just need to mind and pick myself up a little kalashnikov well im over there hehe.

But thanks for the advice guys. Ill probably stick to it for the year meaning it will be mid 2016 by the time im looking for proper work (hopefully the market has recovered a bit by then).

superlightr

12,842 posts

262 months

Tuesday 29th December 2015
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OP - Have you thought of a career in the Navy or one of the other armed forces? You will have the opportunity to learn and study for qualifications, gain practical experience, do things others your age would never get the chance to do, get paid and should have a lot of fun whilst doing it all?

chrisxr2

1,127 posts

193 months

Tuesday 29th December 2015
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Up to two year wait for some trades though.

dai1983

2,902 posts

148 months

Wednesday 30th December 2015
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RN short on Marine Engineers.

Eta: my mates transferred to the RAF to train as a vehicle mechanic. He says they are also short as people join the RAF to fly or fix planes not Land Rovers/generators. The qualifications are also in engineering maintenance instead of just vehicle specific.

Edited by dai1983 on Wednesday 30th December 13:39

chrisxr2

1,127 posts

193 months

Wednesday 30th December 2015
quotequote all
Short because they civilianised the mechanical transport trade then all the civvies resigned rather than go to war, so no doubt swapped back to the old system again.

dai1983 said:
RN short on Marine Engineers.

Eta: my mates transferred to the RAF to train as a vehicle mechanic. He says they are also short as people join the RAF to fly or fix planes not Land Rovers/generators. The qualifications are also in engineering maintenance instead of just vehicle specific.

Edited by dai1983 on Wednesday 30th December 13:39

dai1983

2,902 posts

148 months

Wednesday 30th December 2015
quotequote all
chrisxr2 said:
Yeah that's more likely. If they are like most of the civvies In the workshop they were probably lazy bds too!

Think the RN were farsighted enough to offer engineers redundancies just as two air craft carriers were being built! They are offering 3 year extentions for £30k bonuses. Tax and being on ship takes the appeal out of it.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 31st December 2015
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Having said what I said earlier, that as a general rule hands on people do not get overseas jobs in the Oil and Gas industry one of the best Commissioning guys I've ever meet was Navy trained, OK I'm talking 30 years ago but he has never been out of work, project he was on completed in Nov and he got another job before he left, to follow on from another job asking how to earn 1000 a day this guy wouldn't cross the road for a 1000 a day. In summery the Navy is not a bad way to go.

caelite

Original Poster:

4,273 posts

111 months

Thursday 31st December 2015
quotequote all
superlightr said:
OP - Have you thought of a career in the Navy or one of the other armed forces? You will have the opportunity to learn and study for qualifications, gain practical experience, do things others your age would never get the chance to do, get paid and should have a lot of fun whilst doing it all?
Yup. Thought about and attempted to join both RN and merchant (my first choice leaving school). I can only get a partial MCA medical due to reliance on meds. Cant do army or raf for same reason.(tried them both, they dont even consider you once you tick the medical condition box)

I reckon im going to take year out (mostly for financial reasons) then go back for my HND then b-eng for the overseas oil&gas/warzone contracting work. Just need to stomach the 3 years of fecking maths and reports.

Cheers for the advice guys. I hadnt reaslised my thread got picked up again.

Edited by caelite on Thursday 31st December 07:59


Edited by caelite on Thursday 31st December 08:01