If you cannot get an offshore job right away you might consider something onshore
which is related to the offshore / oilfield / maritime industry. There are several advantages to taking this
approach:
- Even in the most basic of positions, if it is any way oil related, you will be learning
about oil field
operations and procedures, knowledge which will count as valuable experience
for you.
- You will be in association with people who are working in the industry. Their experience,
knowledge and contacts could provide valuable assistance in helping you get where you want to be.
Labor camps provide a wide array of services to companies who need them, most of these
are general labor but also include skilled trades like welders, operators,
electricians, mechanics, etc. What makes labor camps so unique over conventional employers is that
they provide you not only with a job but also three meals a day and a roof over
your head. You will be required to pay for your room, board, steel-toed boots, hard hat,
and anything else you might need, if you cannot provide your own. The expenses for these
items will be deducted from your wages at the end of the week. They are not outrageous and
are clearly posted for you to see. You should be made aware of all the fees and
charges you will be billed with before you sign on, which would prevent you from being
disappointed when you receive your check. Labor camps work onshore and offshore.
There are many shipyards in the US and worldwide which not only
provide repair and modification capabilities for existing offshore rigs, platforms and
boats, but build new ones as well. Many offshore companies use overseas
shipyards because they are cheaper than shipyards in the US.
There has been many a shipyard hand hired onto a rig
because he was present during the construction and fabrication process of the
rig and obtained a good
knowledge of how the rig was built.
So, if you live near a shipyard that is building offshore drilling rigs,
supply, crew and / or utility boats, you might want to see if you can get a
job there just to see what it is all about. Keep in mind that some important
people from the offshore company will be visiting the construction site on a
regular basis to see how things are progressing. These are great contacts!
If you get a chance to work on a land-based rig, you will gain valuable experience
about the drilling process. The actual drilling process is the same onshore as offshore,
so most of what you learn on a land rig can be applied offshore. If you get a couple of
month's experience and a good recommendation while working on a land rig, you've got
some strong bargaining power. Offshore drilling companies are always short
drill crews.