To get to work, you will be flown to the offshore location by helicopter. For UK oil rigs
located in the North Sea, you will fly out of Aberdeen. During onshore leave time, you
will also return by helicopter. Leave time is very generous which means you can live
anywhere in the country and still have ample time for relaxation before departure.

Over the past years, the quality of food on UK oil rigs has improved greatly. Most rigs in
upstream oil and gas have a self-served buffet for meals. Food is brought to the rigs on
a regular basis by boat or helicopters which means there is ample fresh produce. Items
like bread are typically made on the rig by a head baker or chef. Industry workers can
expect a diverse selection of meals and usually three main courses per every meal.

On most offshore rigs, workers will share cabins with one other person. Sleeping
arrangements are bunk-bed style with space allocated for personal belongings.
Typically, each cabin has its own washing basin and may also have a TV. It is common
for workers to share bathing and toilet facilities. All rigs will have an area specifically for
lounging. Here, you can expect activities like ping pong, TVs, a gym, and facilities for
relaxing.

The training scheme is four years long and is broken down into two stages. During the
first phase, the trainees will go to a college where they will learn the knowledge needed
for the industry. The industry is responsible for appointing trainees to a college. All
efforts are made to put trainees near their residence. If there is no college in a trainee’s
residence, then the trainee will be awarded free housing as well as expenses for travel.
During this college phase of the training scheme, trainees will not be paid. However,
they will be given funds through a grant so they may meet basic expenses in regards to
food and amenities.

The second phase of the UK upstream oil and gas training program takes place on a
facility. This is where the apprenticeship really begins and the trainees get hands-on
experience. The work is vigorous but the apprentices will find themselves as part of
a tight-knit team. They will also be given a substantial salary ranging from £12,000 to
£20,000.

After the completion of the four years training scheme, technicians in the UK upstream
oil and gas industry will be given the National or Scottish Vocational Qualifications
level 3 as well as a Higher National Certificate. From here, technicians will be able to
work in the UK or abroad. Thanks to ECITB and Opito’s partnership with the Offshore
Contractors Association, technicians will be able to secure positions in the industry.

Electrical Installation and Maintenance
The rigs which are used in the upstream oil and gas industry have advanced power
generators and distribution system, large motors, and equipments which have been
specifically made to be used in the offshore working environment. As an electrical
technician with upstream oil and gas, you are much more than a regular household
electrician!

Instrument and Control
As a technician in instruments and controls, your job will be to make sure the systems
and analyzing machinery on the job are calibrated and maintained. Some of these
machineries include pneumatic processor controls and gas detectors. They will need to
be consistently checked for proper flows, levels, pressures, and temperatures.

Mechanical Maintenance
If you like working on cars, then the engines of an oil and gas rig will fascinate you. The
job of Mechanical Maintenance technicians is to monitor the large diesel-fueled engines
and gas turbines which are not unlike what you’d find in a large airplane. You will come
to know all the different valve, pump, and transmissions of these important machines.

Production
As a production technician in the UK upstream oil and gas industry, your job is to make
sure that the rig is operating safely while meeting is target for production. To do this,
you will be in charge of controlling, monitoring, and shutting down all the subordinate
systems.

• Applicants must be older than 16 years old when the program starts
• Scottish applicants must have a minimum of four Standard Grades or equal
  which are at least a level 3 from Math and English as well as one of the following:
  Chemistry, Physics, Technology Study, or any other standardized grade.
  Applicants may also be considered if they have a Standard Grade One or better
  a Grade C and level 3 English or better plus two more level 3 Standards or
  better.
• Other UK applicants are required to have a minimum of four GCSE marks or their
  equals of at least a C in Mathematics, English and one from the following: Double
  Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a pertinent technology course plus another
  GCSE. Applicants may still be considered if they have: GCSE Grade A or AS at
  a minimum of Grade C for both English and Mathematics plus two more GCSE
  courses at a minimum of Grade C.

Working in the upstream oil and gas industry is not a job for everyone. The on the job
demands are intense – both physically and mentally. The monetary rewards for these
jobs is very substantial. However, it isn’t just the monetary rewards which draw young
technicians to offshore drilling and jobs in the upstream oil and gas industry. The actual
work is exhilarating. You will learn to deal with problems as they happen, work with a
tight-knit group of people and remain calm in all situations.

There are many benefits aside from financial when it comes to working in upstream oil
and gas. Employees get to travel, can work almost any place on the globe, and are
awarded liberal amounts of on-shore leave time. Jobs in the UK upstream oil and gas
industry is also a secure job prospect for the future.