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If your ideal career involves a nice, clean office job with nine to five hours and weekends with the family, then oil and gas jobs offshore are not for you. But if you're looking for challenging work that stretches you both mentally and physically, a drilling job may be perfect for you. Good pay, a rotating schedule and a strong team bond are just some of the benefits of working on a rig. So if you are willing to get your hands dirty, how do you go about getting an oil and gas job offshore?

Not just drilling jobs

The most common misconception is that you have to already be working in the oil and gas industry to land a job on a rig. But drilling and roustabout positions are not the only jobs on a rig. All those people need looking after, and accommodation and catering standards on rigs are on a par with top quality hotels. So there are opportunities for those who want to work offshore, but don't want the grime and mud that goes with a drilling job. Chefs, kitchen and cleaning staff are as much in demand offshore as roustabouts.

If you do want to experience life at the sharp end, then the entry-level position for rig work is the painter or cleaner, who is responsible for keeping the platform in perfect condition. Safety is a major factor in offshore oil and gas exploration, and every piece of equipment has to be kept in top condition to ensure the safety of the drilling teams. Most offshore drilling personnel started working onshore, so gaining experience at an onshore drilling site is probably advisable before heading out to sea. Unless you have a great deal of experience as a driller, your first offshore job will probably be as a roustabout, working up the ladder as you gain offshore experience.

Rapid career advancement

Roustabouts and leasehands are the general 'Jack of all trades' of the rig. It's their job to clean the rig, keep it free of hazards and if anything needs moving or fixing, it's usually down to the roustabout to get it done. It's a hard, physical job that is dirty, hard and sometimes hazardous. But it also offers you the opportunity to advance quickly, working closely with 'rednecks' (the next position up) and drillers. If you show initiative, aptitude and a willingness to work hard, career advancement can be rapid.

Oil and gas jobs offshore also benefit from exceptional levels of pay. But that money has to be earned, so don't expect to have too much free time on a rig. The rewards for hard work are high, with roustabouts being paid upwards of US$50,000 a year. For higher level positions, the financial package is even better and with rapid career advancement there is the chance to earn a very high salary within five years. There are obvious risks, but safety is a key aspect of rig work and training is intense and comprehensive.

So if you're looking for something a little more challenging than just another desk job, consider the oil and gas industry as an alternative. International travel, great pay and strong team bonds make oil and gas jobs exciting and rewarding.

by : Paul B Smith