FAQ's

What do I need to work Offshore?
There are a few basic requirements for someone who wants to work offshore. Firstly there is your Basic Offshore Safety and Induction & Emergency Training (BOSIET). This is your basic offshore survival training course which is required for working in the UK sector, Dutch sector and Danish sector. If you want to work in Norway then you will need to complete and OLF certificate. For your first time offshore all you will need is your BOSIET for your survival training. This certificate is valid for 4 years.

Second item is an offshore medical certificate. This medical examination should be done by a doctor or medical centre which is registered with Oil & Gas UK (OGUK) formerly UKOOA. As list of reputable medical centers can be found on the OGUK website

Lastly, if you have not been offshore before a number of companies will require additional training for entry level candidates. If you have a trade (i.e welder, electrician, mechanic, medic etc) the industry is starting to recommend MIST training. This is an introduction to some of the safety systems used in the offshore environment. This course can be completed at a number of training facilities. If you do not have a trade we will require a Greenhands training course which is a more in depth course which prepares you for working in this hazardous environment. For a list of training providers you can visit the OPITO website.
What type of work can I do?
There a many different jobs available working in the Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy industries. Below are some links to get more information on the industry in which you are interested:

Oil and Gas 4 U website

Opito website

Scottish Renewable Energies website

British Wind Energy Association website

If you are a qualified trades person we would always recommend that you try and stay in your trade. Getting a start offshore is not easy, stick with what you are good at and look at all your options within the Energy Industry.
What do I do to register with your agency?
To register with Inter-Services you can complete the registration form and enclose the following information: CV, copies of your Survival, Medical and Greenhand/MIST certificate.

You can send your CV and details by email, post and by fax. We will acknowledge receipt of your CV within two days of your application.

For hits and tips on what to include in your CV please have a look at the Dos and Don't section of the FAQ's.
How often do I check back with you for work?
Once you are registered give us a call periodically to check in. We keep an availability list for up to 6 months, as soon as a position becomes available we always check to see who has been in touch. There is no need to phone in every week. We will give you a call if we have a vacancy for which you would be a suitable candidate.
How long will I be registered with you?
We check and update our files annually. If you have been in touch and have kept us up to date then you will remain a registered candidate. Candidates who have not been in touch in the last 2 years will have their file deleted in a safe and secure manner.
Green-Hand Roustabouts
A greenhand roustabout is someone who has not been offshore before, in other words an entry level worker. There are a huge number of people who are keen to get offshore and there are few positions available. Competition is high and the courses required are very expensive so please think about this very carefully. It is a big commitment with no guarantee! In this current climate a number of agencies and companies are not recruiting any greenhands and this has resulted in a recruitment freeze. Inter-Services is currently not registering any greenhands at this time until we have a chance to place some of the hundreds of candidates we already have registered. We hope when the market turns around we can lift the recruitment freeze.
Do's and Don'ts of writing a CV
If you are looking for a job then normally you have to submit a CV to an agency or HR department. This may be the first time you have made contact with this company so you want to make a good impression.

Your CV is a means of “selling yourself” to a future employer so it is important that it contains all the relevant information which a recruiter is looking for. You only have a few moments to grab their attention so if your CV is difficult to read and full of unnecessary information it may result in you not being selected.

Here are a few simple tips in writing your CV;
- What not to include in your CV
  - A photograph or picture
  - Marital status including details of spouse and children
  - Your age
  - Expired certificates and qualifications
  - Personal details such as; NI number, Passport or Bank information
  - Primary School and Secondary school (unless under 18)
  - Usual interests such as socialising, shopping and reading
- What your CV should contain
  - Name
  - Address
  - Contact phone numbers
  - E-mail address
  - Valid certificates and qualifications
  - Work history in chronological order (most recent first)
  - Job Title, dates of employment and name of employer
  - Job description; detailing duties and responsibilities
  - Name, location and type of installation, drilling rig, vessel and project (if applicable)
- Important points
  - Keep your CV as short as possible while still giving details suggested above
  - Don't use coloured paper or borders
  - Keep the writing in black
  - Use Spell Check or ask someone to read it over
  - Don't use fancy fonts, keep it simple
  - DO NOT WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS
  - Do not have gaps in your employment history, list everything even if it is not relevant to the position your seeking
  - Do not separate your skills, experience and capabilities from your employment history. Show where you gained your experience and put this information with your employer.

Oil and Gas 4 U	website
Opito	website
Scottish Renewable Energies	website
British Wind Energy Association	website