So I am 14 male and in 8th grade in well America I do live near ish the coast so I wouldn’t move really that far from my family. Now yes I know a lot of you are going to say your to young to decide this but truth is ever sense I learned about this job in social studies last year I really haven’t been able to get my mind off it and I’ve only ever done more research about the job sense then. The thought of working off shore in the middle of nowhere working long hours of manual labors i guess is just appealing to me. Im not really sure if this is the place to post but are their any like pointers you guys could give me on like working towards this job? if you need more information about me or like what I think about the job ect just ask in the comments.
Thank you in advance for your answers 🫶
How would I build towards a career of an off-shore oil rig worker in America?
byu/Ok-Lingonberry579 inoil
Posted by Ok-Lingonberry579
3 Comments
May not answer any questions for a while though because I’m about to go to sleep 😓
Figure out the unions working those rigs (millwrights? I don’t know). Get in to those unions (ask the stewards how to get in). Work less desirable job sites until you get there.
Or figure out the typical resume for operators being hired, usually a specialized courses being given at a community college that feeds operators for the oil company.
If you’re great at STEM classes and get into a university I’d go mechanical or electrical engineering and try to get as many internships at those companies.
I’ve been in the industry a while and started on my early 20’s and am now in my 40’s. I’ll be the first one to try to talk you out of joining the industry. In all honesty I do not work off-shore but realistically there may not be enough oil globally for you to work into retirement. I’ll provide a link to the American Oil and Gas Reporter website which tracks U.S. rig counts. Look at the rig counts from the early-mid 2000’s and look at the ones from today. The numbers aren’t great the industry job loss over the years has been hard. I’ll also say that when I entered the industry they made it clear that it was a LIFESTYLE and not a job. You’ll be working long hours away from home. It’s not glamorous, you’ll miss your friends, you’ll miss your family, you’ll miss your kids growing up, and it will be hard on your romantic life. All that being said if you feel like you still REALLY want to get into the oil and gas business get one of these three degrees mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or electrical engineering. A degreed position will give you upward career mobility and a way out when the time comes. DO NOT GET A PETROLEUM ENGINEERING DEGREE. After that look for positions at an energy service company offering offshore work. Halliburton and Schlumberger are fairly common starter companies. Good luck.