Breaking into the Oil and Gas industry without engineering?

sports_brah

sports_brah

sports_brah

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What would be the best route to break into the oil and gas industry with a business degree?

It seems like a very difficult nut to crack. Anyone here in such an industry?

Just curious as I've been reading around it the past few days and it seems like an extremely interesting job (working on rigs and the like).


Thanks.
 
I know a guy who works on an oil rig. He needed to do some kind of survival course at his own expense before anyone would consider him. After that it he got a job fairly quickly, with minimal qualifications. I don't know exactly what he does, I assume it's mainly manual labour though...
 
Its not really interesting. It becomes tedious and mundane like any other job. Spending 3-4 weeks away from your life then stuck in the workshop when you get back isn't a lifestyle most people can hack after a few years. Me included.

As for getting there on a Business degree?

I went in on Geology.

I cant think of any jobs on there other than deck crew and catering/house keeping that don't require an engineering or science based education or a long time of training on the job.

The graduate companies will usually pay for the Off shore survival certification as long as you promise to stay with them for 6 months + so they make their investment back.

Maybe ask a few oil service companies if you stand a chance in hell of getting something....

A lot of it is willing to work and basically giving your life away for 3 or 4 years.

Why it is very attractive is that basically uneducated grafters can earn 30K+ doing laundry folding sheets and being chamber maids.

Out of interest what job are you looking at so i can have a laugh :)
 
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Take an apprenticeship. Plenty of EPC contractors offer them.

There are plenty of people in the industry with no higher education; just experience and having moved between industries. It certainly helps to know someone who's already got their foot in the door. Thats impression I got anyway when I was working on site with a mix of different people.
 
d_brennen said:
I know a guy who works on an oil rig. He needed to do some kind of survival course at his own expense before anyone would consider him. After that it he got a job fairly quickly, with minimal qualifications. I don't know exactly what he does, I assume it's mainly manual labour though...
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Intriguing, I'll search the survival course out, thanks. :)

httk said:
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070607041303AA3fSdr
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Thanks

Efour said:
Its not really interesting. It becomes tedious and mundane like any other job. Spending 3-4 weeks away from your life then stuck in the workshop when you get back isn't a lifestyle most people can hack after a few years. Me included.

As for getting there on a Business degree?

I went in on Geology.

I cant think of any jobs on there other than deck crew and catering/house keeping that don't require an engineering or science based education or a long time of training on the job.

The graduate companies will usually pay for the Off shore survival certification as long as you promise to stay with them for 6 months + so they make their investment back.

Maybe ask a few oil service companies if you stand a chance in hell of getting something....

A lot of it is willing to work and basically giving your life away for 3 or 4 years.

Why it is very attractive is that basically uneducated grafters can earn 30K+ doing laundry folding sheets and being chamber maids.

Out of interest what job are you looking at so i can have a laugh :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for that informative post. I realise that without the science/engineering, my options are limited, especially for the well paying jobs, but I was just intrigued. My dad said he worked manually on one when he was younger.

Basically I've graduated and I'm struggling to find things that interest me. Getting in on the bottom level and then possibly reskilling through another degeee/masters whilst working would possibly be an option. Basically I'm just brain storming at the moment. I certainly don't expect to get a high level job with them! :)


panthro said:
Take an apprenticeship. Plenty of EPC contractors offer them.

There are plenty of people in the industry with no higher education; just experience and having moved between industries. It certainly helps to know someone who's already got their foot in the door. Thats impression I got anyway when I was working on site with a mix of different people.
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I know someone in the petrophysics side of things, so hopefully they might have an opinion on the whole thing (unlikely).

Thanks for suggesting an apprenticeship though, I'll look into it now.

[TW]Fox;24788820 said:
What do you want to do in the oil and gas industry?
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Well, my degree means that most things are knocked on the head. The 2 week on 2 week off on the oil rigs sounds an intriguing proposition, a world away from the usual 9-5 which I can't stand.

So the honest answer for what I want to do, is at the moment: still formulating.
 
Join the UK-equivalent of the MPAA? You can be that guy who goes around oil rigs making sure that no-one is watching retail DVDs.
 
sports_brah said:
Well, my degree means that most things are knocked on the head. The 2 week on 2 week off on the oil rigs sounds an intriguing proposition, a world away from the usual 9-5 which I can't stand.

So the honest answer for what I want to do, is at the moment: still formulating.
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So you like that some jobs offer rotations, the money, lifestyle and think it sounds cool......

Honestly, join the line with all the other 'I wants to gets in oilz' ;)

Going by the significant amount research you've done into the industry and routes into it, my post is of about the right tone. Do some reading up and search the Scotland section on Pistonheads forum for some initial advice :)

On the plus side, there are an incredible amount of retarded muppets in the industry, so not being one of them is a start :p

Best Regards,


-Ad- (sitting around bored as hell on MSV Seawell in the North Sea for 30 days as contingency)
 
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-Ad- said:
So you like that some jobs offer rotations, the money, lifestyle and think it sounds cool......

Honestly, join the line with all the other 'I wants to gets in oilz' ;)

Going by the significant amount research you've done into the industry and routes into it, my post is of about the right tone. Do some reading up and search the Scotland section on Pistonheads forum for some initial advice :)

On the plus side, there are an incredible amount of retarded muppets in the industry, so not being one of them is a start :p

Best Regards,


-Ad- (sitting around bored as hell on MSV Seawell in the North Sea for 30 days as contingency)
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We've all got to start somewhere. :p

On the plus side, I'm young(ish) with no commitments, so I can make things more of a reality.

Thanks for the heads up on Pistonheads, I'll check it up now. :)
 
Efour said:
-Ad- are you an AD ? :P
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On a LWI vessel.........................?

Yes, actually, yes I am :p;)

sports_brah said:
We've all got to start somewhere. :p

On the plus side, I'm young(ish) with no commitments, so I can make things more of a reality.

Thanks for the heads up on Pistonheads, I'll check it up now. :)
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Indeed. That's a good place to be. You need to read up if you're serious, and apply apply apply!

I had enough difficulty coming into the industry even with an MEng, 3yrs post-uni experience on London Underground, so don't expect companies to throw money at you.

I'm looking for a new role now and even that isn't proving to be simple with 2yrs experience on and offshore in the industry.
 
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you edited the info you monster !

Wow that's a big old boat... Bigger than any of the little ones ive been crew changed on.
 
One thing you could try would be to get onto an offshore technician/apprentice training course - although I don't know how easy that is. Depends if you want something hands on or not?
You need to try and pick a route in and really go for it - saying you just want to go offshore is too vague and you are unlikely to get anywhere.

Guessing you're happy to go in a completely different direction to your degree?
 
Do you really want to work offshore or just in the industry. As part of your management degree did you do anything in planning?

*currently on a drilling rig*
 
As others have mentioned, it depends entirely on what you want to do in the industry. Do you want to do something related to your degree? If not, don't think you'll get into many other positions for the sole reason of having "a degree".

I'm currently about to start my second year of a four year training / apprenticeship program to get into Instrumentation (measurement and process control) for working on the rigs. I'm 22 at the late end of this year and there are chaps older than me on the same course, so it could be a possible route for you to take.
 
There is a hell of a lot more to the industry than just engineering as you've already found out. It can be difficult to get into the industry with an undergrad degree in general. Manual labouring may be a possibility, but you'll probably have better luck applying for onshore positions before heading offshore.

On the other hand with a business degree you could do an MSc and get a job in the commercial side, that'll be in an office though.

"Currently" sat in an office doing G&G
 
Efour said:
you edited the info you monster !

Wow that's a big old boat... Bigger than any of the little ones ive been crew changed on.
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RAWR :D

Didn't edit much. Either way an AD with no qualifications will be on more money than me, Monster!

Jokester said:
Do you really want to work offshore or just in the industry. As part of your management degree did you do anything in planning?

*currently on a drilling rig*
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Anywhere nice? Hopefully a Jackup not a smelly Semi!
 
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