brian.w

I was wondering if anyone had knowledge of what the standard rate was working offshore,yes i know it depends on what you do,who the employer was etc.
I am a tradie well pipefitter by trade but with mechanical experience,plus have done much more and was contacted by an ex employer i worked with on a shutdown,who said the might have something for me offshore.
I have been doing it for over 21yrs now over here i believe pays well,but i have no idea what.

I know that my ex employer when i worked for them on the shutdown i was paid straight time,no double or time and half weekends,while other companies on same job was and even on a holiday was not paid any extra or due the day another time.To be honest all the guys in the squad was annoyed about all but did not have the bottle to ask manager who never replied or did anything about it.
To be honest i said it was a job and money in the end but feel they was taking the pee.

I am going to see them again tomorrow and im sure they said be same rate as i was on and i must say was not that great for being onshore never mind being offshore and said there be an uplift also for being offshore.
I have no idea what be said tomorrow or whats on offer or even how long the job be for, maybe 2 months ok yes i not been here long and we all start from the bottom again and work up, but i have been in the game a long time and would hate to be taken advantage of, yes we can all say what we want and what we hope for but not know whats the going rates its hard to haggle.

thanks

Quinna

Can I suggest you speak with some recruitment consultants in your field? You will need to give them your CV/resume but they will be in the know on exactly what is happening in the market. I suspect your skills are in high demand based on what you have said, so I think it is worth asking the question. You should also know that by giving you resume to a recruiter - they may be in contact with other opportunities - this may be a good or not so good thing.

spouse of scouse

Can only answer from Scouse's experience - a 2 week shift offshore as a pipey, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week results in after tax pay of around $11,000. Don't know what the gross was, sorry.

spouse of scouse

Ok, have had a chat with Scouse. Out of interest, who's the employer? Monadelphous?

When he was paid out, he did some casual work and was paid $120 per hour for his 12 hour/14 day swing. He thinks the standard casual rate should be around $100 - $120 per hour, although he knows that some employers only pay $70.

One further piece of advice from Scouse, which you can ignore if you badly need the job and money - it you were getting paid around $40 an hour on the shutdown, and they offer you the same money for offshore, tell them to get stuffed, that is really taking the piss.

Beoz

Ok, I do my fair share of hours, but that's what, an 84 hour week? You gotta be wrecked by the end of it right?

spouse of scouse

It's not so bad when you're young, Beoz, but it gets a bit hard on the tools when you're older. One of the most tiring things is scaling the stairs, up and down, up and down.

I think it's the sort of job that gets and keeps you really fit, Scouse was fine with it up to about age 62, after that he'd come home really whacked. He was 2 weeks on/2 weeks off.

old.sparkles

I interviewed for one job as Inelec - 3 weeks on / 3 weeks off / 3 weeks on / 6 weeks off. Not bad in my books

spouse of scouse

Sounds like a Woodside job to me, OS!! If you get in with them, you're set for life. And INLECS are paid waaaay more than pipeys, so that would be a fantastic gig.

babyposer

Hi Brian,

Are you still working as a pipefitter in Scotland right now ?

old.sparkles

Brian has been in WA a little over a year

brian.w

I be as well if i had stayed in scotland as work has been crap for me here in oz,or should i say lack of it and so much red tape here,it seems to be busy as in scotland and i wonder why the hell i came here in first place.A dream of mine and wanted to give it a go,no other reasons,all was fine back in scotland work steady,life was good etc,crap weather though.lol

babyposer

Thanks for you reply, my partner is currently working in Switzerland as a welder/pipefitter, I was wondering if it was easy to find a job in Scotland and England (offshore if possible) ! Do scottish employers ask for specific skills or experience ?

brian.w

Yes must have nvq level 3,all the tickets to get offshore and one that gets most is no experience offshore which is crap really as everyone has to start somewhere.I was lucky as back in the day i was a trainee out there and its just been none stop since,I have met guys who have done all the courses etc but cant get started as never been offshore.

I do sometimes wonder why i even bothered making the move over here and getting the work here sucks, pretty much nothing offshore for me here and onshore jobs i getting nowhere.

I may need to think is australia the right place for me,ok i been here many times,seen the whole of australia back in 2004 and loved everytime i have been here,but due to the lack of work since i been here its put me clean off the place and im up and down,lets go back one min and we stay next.

I already know of a guy who came over here before me,did a year and due to the work went back,has no regrets and says its out of his system now.within a week he was back in work,and i know i would be the same,so it makes me wonder whats keeping me here if not getting work then why bother.

Good luck on the offshore back in scotland before i left they was getting a pay increase and work was getting very busy out there.
It sure is not lack of experience i dont have why im not getting job.But it sure is getting me down,and with supporting my wife and little one can be stressfull.
If i could turn back the clock and say would i come here no,i would have stayed,but im here now and i need to try a little longer or just head back.