Breaking In: Entry-Level Jobs

Looking for a job in the oil and gas industry? You’ve come to the right place!

As you may have seen, your membership to OilJobFinder gives you access to a wealth of important information designed to help you get a job AND understand how the industry operates.

This section of the website focuses on the most entry-level positions, which are (believe it or not!) some of the most commonly advertised by oil and gas employers worldwide. You’ll find dozens and dozens of these types of jobs posted in the JobCenter.

We provide you:

  • Profiles of each ‘in demand’ job
  • Where the jobs are (geographically)
  • Job requirements, including education, licensing, etc.
  • Work environment descriptions
  • Current salary ranges
  • Professional associations
  • And many additional resources

Also, don’t miss the Oil and Gas Industry Training Directory.

Where are the Jobs?

In reality, oil and gas jobs are almost everywhere!

There is currently a huge demand for gas and oil workers all around the world, including:

  • United States: Alaska, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming
  • Alberta, Canada
  • The North Sea
  • The Gulf of Mexico
  • Newfoundland
  • Brazil
  • Angola
  • Australia, and
  • Southeast Asia

Entry-Level Positions

There are a wide variety of jobs commonly available in the worldwide oil and gas industry. Many are relatively entry-level, meaning some training or education is required – but you won’t need a four-year degree, Master’s or phD. These positions, include:

  • Truck drivers, specifically those with Class A endorsements who are trained to operate sand trucks, cement mixers, flatbeds, and forklifts
  • Heavy equipment operators
  • Diesel mechanics
  • Welders
  • Field technicians, including laborers
  • Operations technicians
  • Health, Safety and Environment claims analysts
  • Environmental Health & Safety field workers

These positions include full-time jobs as well as apprenticeship opportunities, journeyman positions, and internships.

Apprenticeships

Skilled workers are essential in the oil and gas industry, and workers from all trades and disciplines are needed to implement oil and gas projects. Completing an apprenticeship is one way to join the industry as a skilled worker.

New apprentices see their skills and income grow because of the on-the-job and in-school technical training they receive. While they are apprentices, workers improve their skills through on-the-job and in-school technical training they typically receive from their employer or sponsor. An apprenticeship program may involve:

  • Securing a job with a company willing to train and supervise apprentices
  • Learning the latest technologies of the oil and gas industry
  • Completing the required number of months of on-the-job training and/or in-school technical training
  • Finishing all program requirements and passing required industry exams
  • Registering for and achieving journeyman status

Journeyman

Journeymen were once apprentices in their chosen field and have passed a board-certified test. Journeymen often fill positions that require training but not a college degree. A journeyman is commonly expected to have a wide range of experience in his trade, and although they cannot supervise employees or interns, they often work independently to earn master status in their trade. In the United States, the requirements for a journeyman’s license typically vary from state to state. Some of types of journeyman positions that may work in the oil and gas industry include:

  • Construction workers
  • Plumbers
  • Metalworkers
  • Electricians
  • Linemen
  • Pipefitters
  • Welders
  • Crane operators
  • Heavy duty mechanics
  • Instrumentation technicians

Internships

College graduates are a hot commodity in the oil and gas industry. Internships allow companies to recruit upper-level college students and graduates as the next generation of workers. Internships expose students to a number of learning situations, allowing them to apply the theories and techniques learned in school to a real-work setting. Many companies have developed elaborate internship programs, hiring directly out of these pools of students after they graduate.

Some of the areas of discipline that offer internship employees to upper-level college students and graduates include:

  • Engineering (civil, electrical, mechanical and petroleum)
  • Geoscience
  • Oil and gas technology
  • Environmental studies
  • Health and safety
  • Supply chain management
  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Information technology
  • Human resources

To view the rest of this page, you will need to be a Premium Member.You are visiting the Members Section as a Free BASIC Member. You will only have access to a limited amount of Job Hunting Tools and Content. For full access you will need to upgrade to a PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP.

Truck Driving Jobs in the Oil and Gas Industry

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