How'd you get your foot in the oilfield door?!

[dsilvia89]

Hey Beyond,

So recently I decided, I wanted to head out to the rigs and work some long hours for some good money.

I am currently a second year Automotive Service Technician. I enjoy it, but everyone I know works the rigs and have stupid amounts of money, people 2 years younger than me (Im 21) have put 25,000+ deposits on houses..

Im still living cheque to cheque to get by.

ENOUGH with the sob story though. All my friends give me for advice is hand out resumes.

But theres gotta be a better way. Ive handed out resumes to every company in my area (Medicine Hat). I have my class 5, no criminal record, decent drivers abstract, high school diploma, Im certified in electrical theory and diagnosis. I understand I dont have any tickets or class 1, and thats what they want...but how did everyone i know get those certifications through their work AFTER they got hired.

Any input is appreciated.

[ercchry]

take all your safety shit, drive to nisku, say "heeey, im not a drug addict and im reliable" ... be ready to start in a week... but there is also seasons for this. and i couldnt tell you if now is the time.

if you have friends doing it. it should be a simple referral :dunno:

[dsilvia89]

Yeah, unfortunately Nisku isnt an option.

I am more than willing to work away from home, doing shift work. Although I cant relocate.

I have had 2 referalls, but nothin came of it.

[Cos]

.

[ercchry]

i dont know anyone that actually relocates though. you are out for 2-5 weeks at a time on site then you just drive back for a week or two of down time. its pretty rare to do field work that is 9-5

[My_name_is_Rob]

Nisku, or even other central Alberta companies should be an easy in. Then again, southern sask is pretty busy these days too I think.

On a side note, depending on how long the winter stays relatively cold, breakup occurs when everything starts to melt, and that usually means slow downs, and possibly lay offs depending on the company.

Like previously stated, having at least a couple safety tickets wouldn't hurt your odds. It would show that you are serious about this kind of work. And they are good for around 3 years.

What kind of "rigs" are you trying to get into? Service side? Drilling?

[dsilvia89]

If you are in the Hat. Drive to Brooks and do the same thing.

I never thought of this. :zzz:

I'm gonna book off Monday and that! Great idea.


Nisku, or even other central Alberta companies should be an easy in. Then again, southern sask is pretty busy these days too I think. On a side note, depending on how long the winter stays relatively cold, breakup occurs when everything starts to melt, and that usually means slow downs, and possibly lay offs depending on the company.

Like previously stated, having at least a couple safety tickets wouldn't hurt your odds. It would show that you are serious about this kind of work. And they are good for around 3 years.

What kind of "rigs" are you trying to get into? Service side? Drilling?

Anything that pays good. Service and Drilling rigs both pay close to the same according to NAODC.

[woodywoodford]

Also services ie Trican. If you could get on with tricans frac crew in red cliff you could easily make 6 figures in no time (they also have cement and coil in brooks)

[dsilvia89]

Also services ie Trican. If you could get on with tricans fraction crew in red cliff you could easily make 6 figures in no time (they also have cement and coil in brooks)

I applied at Trican just over a week ago now.

I'll try them in brooks when I go.

Do you go back to the place you dropped off a resume, and ask if it had been looked at or anything like that?

[FraserB]

I would get your First Aid and H2S Alive, get stack of resumes, get the PPE required, have a bag ready to go and go door to door and just tell them what was said above and you're ready to go. Are you in fairly decent shape, able to lift heavy shit and have no issue working in filthy conditions?

[dsilvia89]

Besides having h2s, first aid, and ALL PPE I am ready to go.

[RX-7_TWINTURBO]

Originally posted by dsilvia89
Besides having h2s, first aid, and ALL PPE I am ready to go.
Translation: I have none of the required tickets or equipment necessary, but someone hand me a job on a silver platter k thx.

Seriously, go spend a few days on courses. H2S is mandatory and without it your resume will be thrown in the trash.
$135 h2s - 8hr course
$150 First aid - 16 hr course
most company's have a staff PPE purchase program with significant discounts. this is the only purchase that you could maybe put off until you are hired.

[btimbit]

Hell, you could even do those courses online

[Supa Dexta]

No you can't ^

Most places require H2S alive, not awareness.. And I don't know of any online first aid - like level B that most require.

Doors closed... Shits gonna slow down big time.

[vengie]

From my experience, first aid is not required but would be an asset. Instead get your PST (petroleum safety training) and H2S.

Also, right now there is an abundance of applicants WITH their tickets. A company won't want to invest that cash into you without a guarantee you'll be around in 3 months. Get your tickets and show you're serious.
Nisku is your best bet to get on with a drilling company that will work through breakup. Everything in southern sask stops as their is zero ground disturbance in sask.

If you're primarily in southern Alberta your best bet is service rigs as there is a ton of well servicing on old wells. However, service rig hands work way harder than a drilling rig, so be prepared for that.

H2S and PST and you'll be working in a week.

[ExtraSlow]

My advice, is to get onto driling rigs if you can. The work is better, and often safer.

[Tram Common]

... and show up in Dunlops, riggers dun' loves Dunlops.

[CompletelyNumb]

Get your PST, H2S and first aid with CPR.

Buy steel toe boots. I use the green dunlop boots year round. Just wear thick socks in the winter :p

Drilling rigs work 7-7. So you know how much you're going to make every day.

Service rigs work like retards. I've worked 20 hour days before. Not sure if thats changed in the past years.

Both will be slow as hell march thru june.

The time to get hired is after that. Right now it will be tough, it's not busy like it used to be. Rig count is decently high though. so with the usual turnover you should be able to find work. (http://www.caodc.ca/statistics/rigcounts-drilling_weekly.html if youre curious about how busy rigs are)

Brooks and Nisku are your best bets for drilling. Dont need to relocate, just go on a rotation and come home for days off.

Service rigs will pick you up at your front door. Not sure what there is in the hat.

Trican/weatherford/etc will never make you as much money. But the work is easier. Dont ever go cementing.

[woodywoodford]

^ I cemented for a few years... it's not *that* bad. sure some days you're balls out, 3 days without sleep, whatever, but then other days you do a 2 hour job half an hour out of town and then you're off for a couple days, until you come up in the rotation next. I was young (19) though so really doubt I could cut it anymore. I got old and lazy haha.

Tip for job hunting: don't look like a dog fucker. Seriously, that'll shut you out right there. Don't wear any of those fancy horn rimmed glasses, don't do your hair, don't show up in slacks or loafers or whatever. Show up looking like you know what you're doing, know how to work and wanna get dirty.

[kdwebber]

Originally posted by dsilvia89
Yeah, unfortunately Nisku isnt an option.

I am more than willing to work away from home, doing shift work. Although I cant relocate.

I have had 2 referalls, but nothin came of it.

Why is Nisku not an option? The extra 2 hours from the Hat to Calgary is going to be the deciding factor if you can work on the rigs or not? That makes absolutely no sense.

Like everyone else has said get some tickets and get your ass up to Nisku ASAP.

[403Gemini]

When you go out there, find a way to keep yourself busy when you aren't working. I cannot stress this enough... I've seen a lot of my friends just piss away their money on booze, smokes, lottery tickets, drugs, and purchasing worthless crap.

It's very hard work, so make no mistake that they are easy pay cheques.

Save your money and play video games or something, your social life will be pretty crappy wherever you go anyway, so just stay low key and don't throw the money away.

[dsilvia89]

I would get your First Aid and H2S Alive, get stack of resumes, get the PPE required, have a bag ready to go and go door to door and just tell them what was said above and you're ready to go. Are you in fairly decent shape, able to lift heavy shit and have no issue working in filthy conditions?

I'm capable of the work. I'm sure the first couple shifts or more will be hell, but I'm determined.

The hardest part of applying I've found is I cant talk to anyone important! The receptionist always has an excuse. How am i supposed to meet somebody who has the potential to hire me?



Seriously, go spend a few days on courses. H2S is mandatory and without it your resume will be thrown in the trash.
$135 h2s - 8hr course
$150 First aid - 16 hr course
most company's have a staff PPE purchase program with significant discounts. this is the only purchase that you could maybe put off until you are hired.

I'm planning to get days off work next time these tickets are offered here at F&S.


H2S and PST and you'll be working in a week.

Also gonna look into the PST


Get your PST, H2S and first aid with CPR.

Buy steel toe boots. I use the green dunlop boots year round. Just wear thick socks in the winter :p

Drilling rigs work 7-7. So you know how much you're going to make every day.

Service rigs work like retards. I've worked 20 hour days before. Not sure if thats changed in the past years.

Both will be slow as hell march thru june.

The time to get hired is after that. Right now it will be tough, it's not busy like it used to be. Rig count is decently high though. so with the usual turnover you should be able to find work. (http://www.caodc.ca/statistics/rigc...ing_weekly.html if youre curious about how busy rigs are)

Brooks and Nisku are your best bets for drilling. Dont need to relocate, just go on a rotation and come home for days off.

Service rigs will pick you up at your front door. Not sure what there is in the hat.

Trican/weatherford/etc will never make you as much money. But the work is easier. Dont ever go cementing.

I was hoping to get on a drilling rig, but didnt know the hours were all messed up on service rig. Good info, Thanks.


Tip for job hunting: don't look like a dog fucker. Seriously, that'll shut you out right there. Don't wear any of those fancy horn rimmed glasses, don't do your hair, don't show up in slacks or loafers or whatever. Show up looking like you know what you're doing, know how to work and wanna get dirty.

THIS. Thats what i figured they would wanna see. I didnt dress up by any means but I was clean. But even if i were wearing steel toes, and looked like i was ready for work, I never got past any of the receptionists...?


Why is Nisku not an option? The extra 2 hours from the Hat to Calgary is going to be the deciding factor if you can work on the rigs or not? That makes absolutely no sense.

Like everyone else has said get some tickets and get your ass up to Nisku ASAP.

Nisku is definately an option. I just meant I couldnt relocate.


When you go out there, find a way to keep yourself busy when you aren't working. I cannot stress this enough... I've seen a lot of my friends just piss away their money on booze, smokes, lottery tickets, drugs, and purchasing worthless crap.

It's very hard work, so make no mistake that they are easy pay cheques.

Save your money and play video games or something, your social life will be pretty crappy wherever you go anyway, so just stay low key and don't throw the money away.

I am more than aware of this, as Ive seen the same thing happen. But thanks for the reminder :thumbsup:

[theken]

Trican would probably require a class 1 license. Cal frac in red deer generally doesn't. I worked there for a long time. They hire essentially everybody. Just don't be a cunt

[cosmok]

http://www.rigzone.com/jobs/postings/102362/Drilling_Hands.asp

You really only have a month and a half to two months left before breakup though

[Maxt]

I would finish your trade first , then go to a dealership.. My friends who are dealership techs make very good money , finish at 4:30 everyday and get to sleep in their own bed at night. Long term , an accredited trade is probably going to have more stability to it.

[Rat Fink]

.

[spike98]

You wont find much in the hat other than the usuals.

Baker, trican, sanjel, technicoil, precision, calfrac, schlumberger and savana for drilling and completion. They are all in redcliff.

What you really need to do as mentioned before is get your safety tickets and head to nisku. If you aren't working within the week then there is something wrong with you.

[dsilvia89]

I already have a deposit on my next year of school in March. By the time I get tickets and go re-apply, will be too late. Will probably just do another year of school and re think the rigs come fall.


So that's why you took monday off, fucker! :rofl:

You MUST be thinking of someone else.

I took a Wednesday off! :nut:

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by dsilvia89

Do you go back to the place you dropped off a resume, and ask if it had been looked at or anything like that?

No, but you should call and ask. Perhaps speak to the same HR people you were talking to originally. That way its not just a random resume, but they can put a face to the name.

[bob9979]

just curious, how is the food and living condition on site?

[Graham_A_M]

^ It really depends as to whose running it. It can vary from anything of mediocre to absolutely amazing.