The world still runs on oil, so prospects for oil rig employment remain good in the medium and long term. The recession is just a blip for oil workers - some of the traditional employers in the oil and gas industry are idling their oil rigs and retrenching staff, but other oil companies are still hiring for their new oil rigs. As long as you keep your eyes and ears open and remain light on your feet, there are still oil rig jobs available.
If you have not worked in the oil industry before, this is a good time to get some training. The Department of Labor has a JobCorp program which provides industry-relevant training for disadvantaged youths, and there are increasing numbers of technical colleges which also provide relevant certifications for job-seekers who want to work on an oil rig.
In good times when oil drilling companies are desperate to hire people, they will often take care of your training, but in a recession you'll need to handle the expenses yourself. This seems to be a bitter pill to swallow, but when you consider that the oil industry pays double the average salary of other industries, you can see that paying for your on training is a good investment.
Apart from getting yourself trained for work on oil rigs, you also want to get some other certifications like an offshore survival certificate, helicopter underwater escape training and first aid certifications. You'll also want to get your passport, vaccinations and medical certificates ready and up-to-date. Depending on the jurisdiction where you want to work, there may be other official documentation you need to get. It is also a good idea to brush up on you maritime law - many offshore oil rigs legally count as ships.
Besides all the paperwork, you'll also want to get your personal affairs settled. Make sure your mortgage, property taxes, utilities bills and phone bills can be automatically deducted from your bank account. Also remember to have a packed bag ready to go. After all, you never know if the offshore oil rig job you interviewed for today will lead to a phone call tonight saying, "Hey! Can you leave tomorrow? One of our guys got into an accident and we need someone to replace him."
For job-seekers serious about oil rig employment, there are still offshore oil rig jobs available. Just make sure you get all your required legal papers and training for the state where you want to work settled ahead of time. Prospects remain strong in the medium and long-term.
