Open the valves! More than 100 new recruits will be joining the North Sea’s oil and gas workers through the OGTAP (Oil and Gas Technical Apprentice Programme).
Their mission is to complete their training in order to take over from those soon to retire.
Billed as one of the most successful schemes of its kind, the OGTAP gives young people both the theoretical and practical experience they need for an accomplished career in the industry.
But this is just one of many options you can take to get started in oil and gas.
Apprenticeships
Taking on an apprenticeship in oil and gas is one of the best ways to enter the industry and will open plenty of opportunities for progression.
Rather than undertaking a degree at university – where the vast majority of your time, if not all, is class-based – oil and gas apprenticeships allow you to work onsite and offsite to help you gain the skills needed to carry out different jobs.
You’ll spend the first part of your apprenticeship at college, gaining necessary qualifications for the sector, without racking up the same amount of debt as your peers at university. Yes, the pints are on you!
After that, you’ll be out learning from old hands, giving yourself the best head start into the industry.
And, of course, always the best part of an apprenticeship is earning while learning.
Roustabout
If you’re not looking to go for any kind of educational qualification but want to get into the sector, this is a popular entry level job role.
Roustabouts don’t need formal qualifications to secure the job, although some employers do look for relevant work experience.
But this could be from other sectors, such as the construction industry.
In this role you’ll receive training before going offshore to keep the drilling area on the platform in good order.
Like most offshore roles, you’ll work on the rig for two or three weeks at a time before a few weeks R ’n’ R.
Graduate Engineer
Many companies offer graduate schemes that will ultimately propel you into a job.
Equally, you can launch yourself straight into the sector as a graduate engineer, working onshore or offshore.
With their transferable engineering skills, many newstarts find themselves involved in the business side of operations, becoming graduate analysts or supervisors.
Want to find out more? Check out the Oil & Gas vacancies on s1jobs.