The oil industry is booming right now, and it takes a lot of offshore oil rig jobs to man the new drilling rigs. Leading economists project that the oil boom will last for the next 14 to 20 years, likely leading to oil jobs overtaking financial and IT jobs. While many people are stumped about how to get started, the truth is that if you’re young, fit, hard working, and willing to get your hands dirty, you shouldn’t have a problem getting started.
If you are inexperienced, the best way to start is to get a job on an onshore oil rig. You can be hired as a laborer, basically a general worker, work hard for 6 months and work your way up the ladder to the position of a bully. As a thug, he will still do a lot of manual labor, but he may also have the opportunity to supervise some hard labor and help out in the more specialized positions, such as laborers and drillers. Show the right attitude, work hard, and you just might be promoted to Driller (the second highest rank on the oil rig) in 5 years.
A college degree isn’t much use aboard an oil rig. On the other hand, a useful technical certificate or diploma, for example as an electrician or mechanic, could land you a job in the engine room or electrical department. These are not the only useful business skills aboard an offshore oil rig. The rig crew needs to eat, so a good cook is always welcome on board. A doctor also plays an important role on the platform. Despite modern technology, an oil rig job is still a pretty dangerous place to work. Accidents happen and a doctor always has work to do.
An important point to note is that an offshore oil platform is covered by maritime law. So it’s good if you go to the trouble of getting a basic understanding of how it will affect you. In addition to this, there are vaccinations and skill certifications specific to where the oil rig is located. For example, in the UK, you must take an offshore firefighting and survival course. Different Canadian provinces have their own First Aid certifications. And different US states have their own requirements.
As you can see, there is no secret to getting started on offshore oil rig work. Start small, on the ground, from below. Once you prove your worth, you can move on to the most lucrative offshore drilling rigs.
