Chapter
1
Health Requirements
The first and foremost
requirement for working offshore is that you be in sound physical
condition. You will be required to take and pass a thorough
physical examination, including a spinal X- ray, before you
can be employed. Answer all questions truthfully. You will
also be given a drug screening.
Age
In most cases you
must be at least 18 to work offshore for a drilling contractor.
You need only be 16 to sit for Coast Guard endorsements. The
average age for offshore workers is 27.
Experience
The better your
experience in your particular field or profession, the closer
you will be looked at by prospective employers. If you do
not currently have any skill or experience which relates to
the offshore industry, it does not mean you will not be hired.
There
are many entry level positions available which require no
previous offshore experience, these can be quickly learned.
The most important thing is honesty. Do not misrepresent yourself,
your experience, or your skills. For example, do not claim
to be a pipe welder if you've only had experience on plate.
Or, do not claim to be a diesel mechanic if the only experience
you have is doing minor tune-ups in a garage.
Education
The majority of
entry level rig jobs do not require a formal education as
the employer is more interested in your ability to do your
job well and learn quickly than in how many years you went
to school. Some jobs, such as a ballast controlman, mud engineer,
etc., require at least a high school education. Other positions,
as they get more complex, will naturally require higher levels
of education.
Dependability
One of the foremost
concerns of offshore employers is dependability. Regardless
of how good a hand is, he isn't much good if he isn't there!
One of the quickest ways to lose your job is not to show up
for crew change. When you hire on with a company, you become
part of a team, and it is difficult to operate when any member
of the team is not present.
Interest/Ambition
Your interest and
ambition will play a very important part in your getting and
keeping a job, whether it be offshore or anywhere else. Offshore
work is an immensely interesting field, and interest in learning
your job and others as well sparks ambition. Once you get
in and get some basic experience you can move into many different
areas involved in all phases of the industry.
Back
to The Complete Offshore Employment
Handbook
Back
to Offshore Guides Home Page
|
