Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
(OP)
Hi, I'll try be brief but it's complicated - apologies.
I'm a piping/mechanical grad, and after my first 9 months of largely twiddling my thumbs I was seconded to a client's office in a maintenance/modifications role for an offshore facility. The role I filled was that of a senior mechanical engineer (7 years exp)who left overseas, and my company had nobody of similar experience to replace him that was familiar with the contract. Though I was to only tackle some of his scope due to my inexperience I am now performing the entire role he used to cover. Needless to say I was delighted with the opportunity, have been thrown in the deep end, have learnt an incredible amount in the past 6 months and will continue to do so for a while yet. I find the work very interesting. I am charged out at the same rate as the senior guy I replaced, and am earning a graduate salary, so my company is getting great value.
Human Resources and the national piping/mechanical chief have gotten wind of it and are concerned I will only learn the client's systems without being exposed to our systems and people. The chief wants to take me off the secondment and has put two options on the table: a site based role for the piping construction on a huge new gold mine, or a site role (close to the city) on a high tech iron making pilot plant.
I understand where they are coming from, but long term I want a career in oil and gas. I am thinking I will stick it out another 6 months until I've done a full year here on this secondment, and then take the site role on the pilot plant for a year. If no oil and gas work presents itself at the end of that year I will quit and find the role I want in oil and gas. Am I shooting myself in the foot by going to a resources/mining application, or at this early stage is *any* discipline related experience a good thing regardless of industry?
I am concerned that if I don't get solid oil and gas experience early, I will go too far down the wrong path and find it hard to come back. I am seeking advice from my 'mentor' and people I can trust within my company.
Any advice is appreciated. Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance.
I'm a piping/mechanical grad, and after my first 9 months of largely twiddling my thumbs I was seconded to a client's office in a maintenance/modifications role for an offshore facility. The role I filled was that of a senior mechanical engineer (7 years exp)who left overseas, and my company had nobody of similar experience to replace him that was familiar with the contract. Though I was to only tackle some of his scope due to my inexperience I am now performing the entire role he used to cover. Needless to say I was delighted with the opportunity, have been thrown in the deep end, have learnt an incredible amount in the past 6 months and will continue to do so for a while yet. I find the work very interesting. I am charged out at the same rate as the senior guy I replaced, and am earning a graduate salary, so my company is getting great value.
Human Resources and the national piping/mechanical chief have gotten wind of it and are concerned I will only learn the client's systems without being exposed to our systems and people. The chief wants to take me off the secondment and has put two options on the table: a site based role for the piping construction on a huge new gold mine, or a site role (close to the city) on a high tech iron making pilot plant.
I understand where they are coming from, but long term I want a career in oil and gas. I am thinking I will stick it out another 6 months until I've done a full year here on this secondment, and then take the site role on the pilot plant for a year. If no oil and gas work presents itself at the end of that year I will quit and find the role I want in oil and gas. Am I shooting myself in the foot by going to a resources/mining application, or at this early stage is *any* discipline related experience a good thing regardless of industry?
I am concerned that if I don't get solid oil and gas experience early, I will go too far down the wrong path and find it hard to come back. I am seeking advice from my 'mentor' and people I can trust within my company.
Any advice is appreciated. Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance.





RE: Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
RE: Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
Best regards
Morten
RE: Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
RE: Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
Have you thougth about the consequences of a career in the offshore industry on the long run? Try to think 10 years from now, when you probably will have wife and kids.
RE: Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
RE: Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
As far as working offshore goes Svanels, in the Western Australian market, offshore jobs require less time away from home than the mining business. Engineers tend to go offshore only a handful of times each year, for 1 to 2 weeks at a time (maximum). The rigs and FPSOs are manned by only by production techs, maintenance and marine people. Whereas engineering jobs in mining are more likely to be residential or fly in fly out positions.
My thinking at the moment is that I will ask if I can stay on for 6 months in the current role to get a more solid grounding and then take the pilot plant secondment. I have a meeting with my 'mentor' to discuss these issues today, which hopefully will seal my fate.
Thanks again.
RE: Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
Isasmelt for the high tech iron- there's a few more gold projects around though - so it could be anywhere.
RE: Oil & Gas vs Mining - the right move early
I had a similar predicament of getting locked into the nuclear field and was looking for openings in oil and gas. In an open house interview, I made my case and was offered a job with no direct experience and have never looked back.
I recruit people on personality, enthusiasm and ability more than experience because we never find it. We have even taken taxi drivers!
Good luck.