More oil rig jobs available in Brazil

Petrobras announced that 243 000 professionals would be trained by 2016 to serve the supply chain to meet demand in oil rig workers to implement new oil and gas extraction projects. It is estimated that offshore and onshore oil drilling companies will require specialist trained to perform around 820 different functions on oil rigs, and oil rig job openings are to be available throughout Brazil. It has been estimated that between $US 3-4 billion are to be spent only for the purposes of professional training and technological development, according to the National Petroleum Agency of Brazil. The money is already invested. The training will involve about 72 universities, colleges, and technical schools, and 3500 courses and training courses. Petrobras also mobilizes 29 thematic networks at universities, attended by 500 researchers. Who will be especially needed, are pipe welders and the people able to assist in welding, both wet and dry on the oil rigs.

Jobs on oil rigs in Brazil are not for everyone

Working on oil rigs offers opportunity to earn at least double one's current salary in other industries, and at least 14 days off for every two weeks of working on oil rigs offshore. These are the advantages offered by working offshore on oil rigs. However, despite the clear economic benefit, the work aboard oil platform is not for everyone. The turnover is very high. Lots of people give up after one or two shifts, according to the manager one of the remote bases Sodexo / Pure, collective meals company that has over a thousand employees servicing oil sector.

Depending on the position, the advantages surpass the benefits prescribed by law. For chef and baker, which are positions in catering that generally are not entry level and require training, or al least previous experience, the salary will be at least double of the wages offered on land. Sodexo / Pure, which operates 34 units of oil production in the country, has no difficulty filling vacancies that do not require special training. Even so, turnover is high. Five or six shifts will reveal whether a candidate is a good fit to work on deck.

The rules governing workers embarked differ according to the collective agreements in each category. According to the human resources manager of the unit operations of Petrobras in the Campos Basin in the Rio de Janeiro state, the general rule is that professionals after every 14 days of working on oil rigs have two free weeks they spend onshore. Some categories of oil rig workers, however, get 21 days free for 14 days on active duty. The employees normally work in 12 hour shifts, but there is also the stand by mode - i.e., the personnel, like roustabouts and roughnecks, must be available for call 24 hours in a row. In both cases, the extra overtime salary is at least 100%.

HR people of the Petrobras say they do not see any specific profile for offshore oil rig worker, but offshore oil rig jobs usually attract the individuals of a younger age group, especially entry level vacancies requiring endurance and strength such as hard manual laborers called roughnecks and roustabouts. Everyone who works by shifts is guaranteed 14 days vacation every month. This is the benefit that workers in the land based industries only get entitled for after a year. The employee can choose to live in various places, such as Buzios, Salvador and Porto Seguro. Successful candidates can travel to an offshore platform and start enjoying the economic advantages of the suggested working model only after a few months of training/certification course.

It must be admitted that occasional unsanitary conditions can pose other dangers in addition to the risks and challenges of extra work offshore. But the problem is seen to. In case any of the crew gets sick, there's a full time medic on oil rig. By the way, medic is another entry level job on offshore oil rigs that besides requiring no previous experience don't even require being a physician. If you are a former nurse or even paramedic, that's O.K., provided you conform with many additional requirements. Also there are doctors contracted by the state, and they alternate between different production units. When needed, a physician is transported by helicopter to another platform or operation of land to perform the service. To ensure the psychological ambiance of new employees, each greenhand worker or employee has a tutor assigned to him for the first shift (usually a specially appointed supervisor or the closest fellow worker with experience.

Brazilian oil platforms also employ auxiliary staff for logistics and operations. In fact, the contract catering companies for that purpose. Sodexo / Pure, for example, is contracted for ensuring proper functioning of kitchen and related services. For such auxiliary companies there are the contracts for offshore services in catering and cleaning. Crew members on offshore oil platforms are provided breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and at least two coffee breaks.

Work on oil rigs - How to apply

If you want to work on an oil rig, you surely wonder how you can get there. Answers are available. There are several steps you can take to apply for an entry level job on an oil drilling platform.

But there are also some requirements. Successful candidates will have to pass medical tests to prove their health, so that allows him to do efficiently the job that you are assigned. If the platform is maritime, will also conduct a sea survival course (usually funded by the company).

The first solution, and perhaps the one that seems the easiest, is to look at job ads announcements in the newspapers. Many Portuguese newspapers have job listings in this sector. However, be careful as these proposals are often misleading. Thus, this form may not be the most appropriate or safe to seek employment.

Another way of applying for an oil rig is to look on the Internet. To this end, there is online portal that is reliable and allow you to search for jobs in different areas and countries of the world. It is called Rigworker.

Contrary to the popular belief of it being difficult to put your foot in the door of offshore oil exploration and extraction industry, at this time it is relatively easy to get an entry level job in the oil sector, due to the huge demand for workers. Professionals with relevant college diploma or university degree in engineering and geology have even better chances of getting employed, and that is not only in Brazil.

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