Most offshore workers are in it for the money. But a surprisingly large number of them think Norwegian-style shift rotation is the most important factor when choosing where to work, according to a new survey.
The independent poll of around 2,000 workers – most of them based in the North Sea – found that while 61% said the level of salary was their highest priority when seeking a job, 15% preferred the idea of a longer shift rotation.
While most shifts in the UK offshore sector have equal time on to time off – either two weeks, three weeks for some platforms and four weeks for vessels – many Norwegian oil and gas firms tend to offer shifts with two weeks offshore then three weeks off.
Dan Stephenson, Managing Director of IV Offshore, which commissioned the report said: “Not surprisingly 61% of workers surveyed said money was the most important part of the decision when looking for work.
“But that still left 39% for whom other factors were topmost. There was a significant 15% who said they wanted to have a longer break period similar to what happens in the Norwegian sector. For those respondents that was the most important factor when considering their options.”
Another 10% said “security” was the most important aspect of working offshore.
Mr Stephenson said that the UK North Sea’s safety relative to other offshore basins was attractive to workers.
“People like to work in the North Sea because it is safe and they don’t have to worry about pirates or kidnapping.”
Worryingly, the survey also laid bare the North Sea’s aging workforce.
It found that 57% of respondents that were resident in the UK have more than 10 years’ experience. This compared to only 37% working in basins around the world.
“It’s positive that the UK North Sea has some of the most experienced offshore workers in the world,” said Mr Stephenson. “It’s great for now but what will happen when they are too old to work and leave a skills gap? More firms need to be hiring apprentices. The industry is not doing enough about it.”