At some point, everyone considers a change in career. That may be through personal choice – perhaps your current job no longer presents you with enough of a challenge to maintain your interest. Or it could be through forced redundancy and a wish to pursue a different path. Maybe you’re just tired of the same old nine to five desk job. For anyone thinking of a career change that could lead to advancement, new skills training and a decent pay packet at the end of the month, the oil and gas industry is worth serious consideration.

A complex and multi-faceted industry

Oil and gas jobs don’t just mean working on a rig or drilling platform. The industry is a complex and multi-faceted one, filled with opportunities for both the outdoor type and those who prefer not to get their hands too dirty. Oil and gas exploration involves a huge ‘backroom’ operation including environmental surveying, personnel management, recruitment and rig jobs. While the image of the industry may be of men in hard-hats and gloves wrestling with heavy machinery, the truth is that the oil and gas industry is a modern business, tackling a wide range of issues and challenges.

The main draw for many into oil and gas jobs is the pay. Even entry-level positions bring with them salary advantages that you will not find in other, less challenging industries. This is particularly true for younger applicants joining the industry on the lowest rungs. The additional benefit of rapid advancement for those who show an aptitude for the job means that moving up to more highly skilled and highly paid jobs within the industry is much more achievable in a relatively short space of time.

Know who to talk to

But it pays to know who to talk to. Oil and gas recruitment agencies specialise purely in jobs within the industry, and have the ability to place suitable candidates into the right positions. They also have the contacts within the industry and are able to know what’s available and when. From degree-level candidates to those with fewer qualifications but a willingness to work hard, oil and gas recruitment agencies can marry up the right person with the right job.

For those who are willing to work away from home for a while and to put in long hours, the rewards are great. Rig teams develop close bonds with one another, and although rig work can be hard and sometimes dangerous, a camaraderie develops that you are unlikely to find in other industries. For those more interested in research and development, the industry is constantly looking at new ways to extend the planet’s natural resources and extract them as cleanly and efficiently as possible. So research and development is a key area of employment within the industry, offering degree-level candidates life-long careers that are challenging and interesting.

The result is an industry that actively encourages new ideas, new talent and presents new opportunities for those looking for a career, rather than ‘just a job’. With new fields constantly being opened up, this wealth of opportunity looks set to continue for a long time to come and those who want to be a part of it would be well advised to consider looking at a career in the oil and gas industry.

Author Bio: Paul B Smith – Search oil and gas jobs and other engineering roles in specialist sectors: automotive & aerospace, petrochemical & process, mining & minerals, nuclear & power. Candidates can register CVs online and search jobs across all of our sectors.

Category: Career
Keywords: oil and gas jobs