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I have been listening to many of my classmates (mainly cruiseship types) recently discussing how there is "big money" to be made in the offshore sector once qualified. They are all convinced that they are superior to all the other cadets since they ponse around in white uniforms and (in their minds anyway) the offshore companies are going to want to employ them all. All the people discussing this have simply been trawling around the internet for jobs and think this is the way forward - as you can expect none these people have any offshore experience at all.
This is mainly written for the aspiring cadets out there who are actually in some sort of position to decide whether they want to work in the offshore sector. Certainly the offshore sector does pay better, however as always, there are some good reasons for this.
The offshore sector is a completely different ball game to cruise ships:
- Offshore vessels are far smaller than most cruise ships and work in some of the most hostile conditions imaginable. The vessel will often be completely battered for days on end and you will somehow have to sleep through this and still work a 12 hour shift each day.
- People don't wear uniforms on offshore vessels as they have far more serious things to do with their time. You will be freezing cold, working at night in a force 8 storm - and if you complain will probably be moved on quite fast.
- Offshore vessels require ALL the officers to have ship handling skills far beyond what is required on large cruise ships with 20 plus "officers" aboard. You (not the Captain) are often required to maintain control the vessel in very close vicinity to offshore structures.
- Working on offshore vessels (especially AHTS) is dangerous and bad decisions by the officers will almost certainly in somebody being killed.
- You need REAL DP (Not phoney Cruise Ship DP) experience to be given a job on almost all offshore vessels. Most companies won't even look at you without this. Cruise ship types simply dont have this.
- Most companies have 5/5 rotation since even the oil majors accept that working beyong this timeframe is dangerous due to the very heavy work load.
I hope that all the aspiring cadets take note of this. The offshore sector looks appealing due to the higher rates of pay, but the conditions are a world apart from those on a cruise ship. You have to be of a certain type to work offshore and unfortunately cruise ship types rarely fit the mould. Even in my relatively short time offshore I have seen people bail out because they can't hack it.
If there are aspiring cadets out there who are attracted to the offshore sector - take a cadetship with a company who have offshore vessel and are willing to send their cadets on them. It is very difficult to move from cruise ships to the offshore sector later on. If you don't like the sound the above don't join an offshore company since you will have to live through 12 months of virtual hell to first obtain your COC after which you can move on.
This is mainly written for the aspiring cadets out there who are actually in some sort of position to decide whether they want to work in the offshore sector. Certainly the offshore sector does pay better, however as always, there are some good reasons for this.
The offshore sector is a completely different ball game to cruise ships:
- Offshore vessels are far smaller than most cruise ships and work in some of the most hostile conditions imaginable. The vessel will often be completely battered for days on end and you will somehow have to sleep through this and still work a 12 hour shift each day.
- People don't wear uniforms on offshore vessels as they have far more serious things to do with their time. You will be freezing cold, working at night in a force 8 storm - and if you complain will probably be moved on quite fast.
- Offshore vessels require ALL the officers to have ship handling skills far beyond what is required on large cruise ships with 20 plus "officers" aboard. You (not the Captain) are often required to maintain control the vessel in very close vicinity to offshore structures.
- Working on offshore vessels (especially AHTS) is dangerous and bad decisions by the officers will almost certainly in somebody being killed.
- You need REAL DP (Not phoney Cruise Ship DP) experience to be given a job on almost all offshore vessels. Most companies won't even look at you without this. Cruise ship types simply dont have this.
- Most companies have 5/5 rotation since even the oil majors accept that working beyong this timeframe is dangerous due to the very heavy work load.
I hope that all the aspiring cadets take note of this. The offshore sector looks appealing due to the higher rates of pay, but the conditions are a world apart from those on a cruise ship. You have to be of a certain type to work offshore and unfortunately cruise ship types rarely fit the mould. Even in my relatively short time offshore I have seen people bail out because they can't hack it.
If there are aspiring cadets out there who are attracted to the offshore sector - take a cadetship with a company who have offshore vessel and are willing to send their cadets on them. It is very difficult to move from cruise ships to the offshore sector later on. If you don't like the sound the above don't join an offshore company since you will have to live through 12 months of virtual hell to first obtain your COC after which you can move on.
If I'd come from the fishing industry I'd be looking to get on a tramp tanker in the Carribbean/Seychelles/other warm place.
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