# Work in scotland? and College completion in Canada... ?



## DanielBaird (20 Apr 2014)

Hello, my name is Daniel. I am starting to look for job opportunities outside of Canada, the UK being my first destination to look for work.

I have a few questions, they are as follows
If I have completed the first welding course (we call it C level here, in British Columbia), I need 1000 hours of work experience to upgrade to a B level! What classifications (from the first one you take in college/uni to the last) .. hmm, my question is what are they called in the UK? C level welding? 6g? 3g? I don't know the terms! If anyone can enlighten me it would be great !!

Is it hard for someone with a work visa to get on the oil rigs in the UK? What kind of work should I be looking for?
I am not so much worried about wages, since I will be sharing accommodations with friends, but I'm having a hard time finding what I am qualified for, in any job site, since it is all different titles and terms within the UK.

any knowledge is appreciated, I will check the forum on a daily basis to see if anyone has helped my knowledge about this situation !! 

-Dan


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## Spindle (20 Apr 2014)

Hi

In order to work offshore in either the UK, Norwegian or Danish sectors you will need to have undertaken offshore survival training, this will be at your own expense unless you are very fortunate. See link to Falk Nutec:

https://www.falck.com/nutec_uk/Pages/Of ... ining.aspx

Can't help with the equivalent welding standards in UK, but if you wish to follow a career in that discipline it may be better to look at work experience in fabrication yards.

Aberdeen is the UK 'hub' for offshore work in the Northern North Sea and as such accommodation is relatively expensive: See here:

https://www.aspc.co.uk/

The Southern North Sea 'hub' is in the Norwich area, again pretty expensive but not so much as Aberdeen.

Good luck whatever you do - but I'd advise you to do your research before 'turning up on the doorstep'.

Regards Mick


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## spinks (20 Apr 2014)

As previously stated, offshore is expensive to get into, even taking your survival training offers no guarantee of employment!

With the welding here there are 2 ways, either a 3 year apprenticeship in welding, or a college course with time scales varying depending on your experience although they are not greatly recognised by employers. The best route would be to forget working offshore for a while, get your feet in the door with a small outfit as a labourer/semi skilled person and see if they would be interested in helping you train up. You can pay for your own codings if you think your welding is already up to standard but that in itself is a minefield (TIG,MIG,MMA?? Pipe welding, plate welding, positional? the list is endless) and expensive. Without any codings you stand a whelks chance in a supernova of getting offshore, and any codings gained with an employer are the property of the employer, not you, so you would have to retest with any prospective employer, and without any trade history they are not going to go to the expense of testing you!! Not very positive news I am afraid but its better to have a reality check than to turn up full of good intentions and be shot down in flames!!

A place that may be of interest and could possibly help is the shipyard at Nigg bay, they service the offshore industry and are usually looking for labour, they pay well, and pay lodge allowance. No entirely sure who the main employers are (google may help you) but there is plenty of work there at the moment or so I am told!! Another avenue could be further north in the shetlands where I believe there is a new installation being built, again, plenty of work, good rates and lodge!

Good luck but be realistic of your experience and abilities as!


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## themackay (20 Apr 2014)

The opportunities for welders offshore now are very limited even during construction if we need a welder they are only on the platform a day or 2 
Alan


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## DanielBaird (21 Apr 2014)

thanks for all of the feedback!

take care everyone


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