Can you imagine working for 28 days straight and enjoy 28 free days after?
Within the world of offshore drilling, you can find yourself with a surprise: the nature of 28/28 rotation jobs. Though you can deduce what that means by its name, working for 28 days non-stop on the rig so you can have 28 days free afterwards may sound good for some and bad for others. This type of routine work, therefore, has its benefits and disadvantages, let’s explore them together
Benefits of 28/28 rotation jobs
- 28 days off: Having half the time off is certainly a precious freedom that allows workers not only to recharge before the next dispatch but also to have time of their own. It’s a rare perk especially considering that 28/28 workers earn more than 50.000$ at entry level.
- High Remuneration: Workers committing to this style of work often earn 3 to 4 times as much as their peers in more traditional work environments. This is unusual for menial jobs and those that do not necessarily require a college degree. Some workers even manage to become millionaires after a decade or two of committed work.
- Possibility to develop other activities: Whether you want to develop a hobby, skill or business, it can usually be very difficult. Working full-time for someone and only having a few weeks of vacation each year can leave little time for personal endeavours, especially because employers often want you not just to be available during normal work hours but also carry out overtime work. Available time is reduced even more when family comes into the picture. The 28 day rotation gives you abundant time to dedicate to your other ventures.
- Multicultural Work Environment: Offshore drilling can take workers to many locations around the world. One job could require you to be working in the North Sea and the next in the Gulf of Guinea. This gives workers the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and interact with various cultures or even learn a new language.
Drawbacks of 28/28 rotation jobs
- Exhausting and Dirty: Offshore drilling jobs are all very physically demanding. Even though workers get 4 weeks off, fatigue does settle in, especially if you have 12 hour shifts. Offshore drilling jobs give the phrase “getting your hands dirty” a literal spin. Drillers are bound to be covered in grease or mud at some point on any given day.
- Away From Family: Many offshore jobs in the energy sector require workers to be hundreds of miles offshore or deep in the wilderness away from families and friends. This leads people to miss out on important moments in their children’s life such as a birthday, graduation, performance or a holiday. The strain on social life can often be overwhelming.
- Poor Diet: Different organizations and locations offer different food to their employees. However, choice is usually limited and it leads a lot of workers to obesity. This is also caused by the fact that workers have the option to eat 5 to 6 times a day. Even though some healthy options might be available, the access to food so often may lead to poor health and a real risk.
- Low Entry Bar: The lack of education requirements in this line of work makes it difficult for workers to be employed outside the energy sector. A senior accountant working in the energy field can get a job in retail or manufacturing if he wishes at nearly the same pay. However, a supervisor on a drilling rig with no other qualifications will struggle to find a job outside the drilling industry.
- Dangerous Work Environment: Parts are constantly moving on a rig. A worker could be seriously injured if he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Highly flammable hydrocarbons are another hazard workers come across. In rare and extreme cases, explosions could lead to catastrophic deaths and injuries.
Does this sound like something interesting to you? A challenge you are willing to take? Search no more, WTS Energy provides opportunity for talent in reputed and global energy companies, also in the 28/28 rotation modality. Check out our open positions here.
At WTS Energy, our mission is to offer meaningful work around the world and help to protect the environment during the Energy Transition.
