Oil rig careers
Much of tomorrow's oil and gas resources are expected to be discovered offshore. Experts have predicted that the increased investment in the offshore oil and gas industries will create about 25,000 jobs - the majority will be based in Scotland.
Hays Energy has an Oil and Gas division in Aberdeen, where most of the UK companies running North Sea operations are based, so it is perfectly placed to fill jobs on and offshore. The oil and gas industry currently supports about 270,000 on and offshore jobs in Britain, with companies pumping in £3bn of investment this year.
Offshore staff shortages
The drilling industry is in the midst of a boom and with so many experienced people reaching retirement age and companies desperate for staff, there’s never been a better time to go offshore. The slow pace of the industry over the past 10-15 years has caused a shortage of petroleum engineers because other engineering industries and disciplines offered better opportunities.
The Industry Leadership Team (ILT), a group of key representatives from the industry and unions, believes that investment in the UK continental shelf will rise to more than £4bn next year.
Although the industry is moving towards hi-tech developments, such as sub-sea tie backs to existing platforms, new jobs will be created in the drilling sector and the contracting sector, particularly for companies involved with hi-tech work.
Engineering opportunities
The main roles on a rig are for mechanical, electrical and petroleum engineers, although those with experience in other areas such as civil engineering are also in demand. For offshore roles, coming from an industry such as mining could be advantageous as you would be used to working in sometimes harsh environments with a good awareness of health and safety as well as being away from home.
There are also opportunities for recent graduates who will find the salaries on offer substantially better than what you would get elsewhere. The average starting salary for a land based graduate is between £18-22,000, according to Darren Montagu, director of Hays Energy, while the equivalent offshore can be anything up to £10k higher.
Other occupations needed on rigs include general labourers (or roustabouts), tradesmen, particularly mechanics and electricians, medics, and radio operators to manage the logistical and communication issues. Importantly, chefs and bakers are also in great demand.
