Advice Part 4: Don't Work in Oil & Gas

One thing I learned during my time at Maritime Drilling Schools was that perhaps a career in the oil and gas industry wasn't the best choice out there for me (and perhaps for others in my shoes). You see in Canada most of the oil jobs are found in the Alberta Oil Sands...this means that there is not much drilling going on up there, mostly it is mining (that, and other processes, are used to extract the oil). I started digging a bit more to find out about possible opportunities in and around Fort McMurray and found that if you are a heavy equipment operator you'll able to get a job...fast.

So there I was halfway through my MDS course and I was thinking: did I just fuck up? I already started looking for jobs in oil and gas and was coming up short...when you send out countless emails and you either not get a response or if you did it is of the negative kind...you start to worry. I just bet on the wrong horse.

I started to do some research about heavy equipment operator training courses (you need the certs to get the job) and found many schools all across Canada. I narrowed my search to two:

• Transport Training Centres of Canada

• Interior Heavy Equipment Operator School

The above two schools are, I think, the best of the bunch. Sure, the courses are expensive, but if you train on only one piece of equipment it will cost you almost the same as doing the Maritime Drilling Schools course. Also, if you are Canadian and been unemployed for a certain amount of time, the government will pay for the training. Finally, these schools are SO confident that you'll be working as soon as you complete the course, they will give you a loan in case you can't pay it all in one go. This is something Reg MacDonald and Maritime Drilling Schools don't offer...so what does that tell you about Reg and his belief you will be working in oil and gas? I'll let you decide on the answer to that one.

Here is some info from the emails I exchanged with IHE (Interior Heavy Equipment) School:

"The job prospects are very good, we have a 90% success rate within the 3 months that we as a school have held consistently since the beginning of our school in 2005. Last month we had Sureway Construction come to the site and hire 11 graduating students on their day of graduation."

Heck, even Reggie cannot guarantee the above! Hell, he does not even have enough power or contacts or both to invite drilling companies to his school to help out the students with jobs.

Finally, one last thing. These courses are also quite long; therefore, one needs accommodation while taking the course. Let me remind you again in case you forgot:

• It costs $800 to stay at the MacDonald house while training at Maritime Drilling Schools for 20 days!

Now here is a screenshot from information packet from the IHE (Interior Heavy Equipment) School:

 

As you can clearly see they cooperate with hotels / B&B's around their training site and offer such amazing deals...$440 for the MONTH (not 20 days) with WIFI and laundry...I don't need to mention again that the MacDonald house neither has WIFI or laundry. Plus you get breakfast included...and tea or coffee...and snacks!

ALSO:

FREE PPE! Can you believe this? What does Reggie give you? Fucking NOTHING!

So before you jump into the oil and gas industry, think about doing a heavy equipment operator course instead. Training on one piece of equipment is enough...from what I hear the excavator is a great choice...lots of companies need excavator operators...and if you are a good worker I am sure they will train you on the rest so no need to spend more money. And if you don't want to work in Alberta (at the Oil Sands or elsewhere), there are always opportunities at the many mines around Canada, the US...and the world. Good luck!

Censorship, Lies & Video

As can be seen from the post below, Reg MacDonald and the Maritime Drilling Schools crew are mighty worried about this blog and the implications it may have on the future of their drilling school. Quite frankly they should be afraid. Reg has been doing business for a few good years, but always away from the power of the internet. Well, Reg, welcome to the 21st century my friend! The power of internet is alive and well and companies are made and broken in the blink of an eye thanks to this wonderful technology. So far this blog has over 1500 hits and the YouTube channel over 1200 views...and the numbers will only increase! We will be upping our efforts and spreading the news more and more over the coming weeks and months!

Sorry, Reg, but you have no internet skills to compete with us...judging by your 1990's style design of your company website.

Also, why the need to censor our blog if you are so confident in your "school" and your product? Why the need to post stupid comments in broken English...you really should take a class in writing skills and improve you grammar and punctuation! Given your writing skills I am not sure how you managed to get that degree you did...maybe it was also for "life experience" like Carla? So why the need to do all that? Are you scared that the truth might be exposed? Words can be interpreted in various ways, but we also have pictures and video...and that, my friend, is hard to dispute. The proof, they say, is in the pudding.

And now for the lies...on your "school" webpage you have many testimonials...people finding jobs and whatnot...same letters are posted all over the walls in your institution...are any of them true? I mean there was one guy who found a Driller position with Nabors in Saudi Arabia just by doing your course...did he really? Come on, Reggie, if you are a liar the truth will eventually come out. You wrote all those letters, right? You do your own black hand marketing, eh?

Finally, we shall not be CENSORED by anyone. Like we mentioned below, for $5000+ spent in North Sydney I can take whatever pictures and video I want and post them for others to see. You know what this is called: FREEDOM OF SPEECH! Others should know that your website was made to sell the course and does not give ANY details beyond that...a shame, really, but I guess you have to lie to get people to go there, how else can you afford your current lifestyle, eh?

How Maritime Drilling Schools is reacting to this blog...

Not really well, LOL!

In fact he sent to one of us a very funny mail and signing as "student" is writing very hilarious comments to the post... reading all that is obivious, by the lenguage employed, that all that and the positive comments on the school website come from the same person, the "CEO" of a 3 workers company (included himself and his girlfriend).

Anyway, read yourself, we want to share those incredible documents without comments, are self explanatories.

The mail he sent...

"It was brought to our attention that you have been posting or involved in
misleading and withholding information on blogs about our school and taking
videos while attending classes at Maritime Drilling Schools Limited. We
take this very seriously as you were illegally operating while attending our
institute. You have 48 hours to clear all the blogs you have written with
regards to the school or we will deliver this information to the proper
authorities as you have been breaking the law while visiting our country.
If this is not done we will revoke all your certifications and inform all
Oil producers, Drilling contractors as Well service contractors of your
illegal activity while attending our school and recommend them to seriously
think about not hiring you as an employee."

Comment posted on the blog by Reggie:

"People don’t read into this guy the instructors at MDS were excellent and all you need to do is read all the good things about this school…go to the website and read the testimonials of past students and employers. The accommodations were great for the environment and a hell of a lot cheaper than a hotel…and we got to work with the other classmates, which helped me a lot… All Jose did since day one was complain and wine all day long…there’s always one bad apple in the crowd…more of an idiot in my eyes after what I have seen from him….he needs to be or will be black balled from this industry…and he talks about safety…trust me that man is a danger to himself and others he came from Spain with a bad attitude right from the beginning…he couldn’t even put the tongs on properly after being told 10 times…the two girls we had in class made a complete fool of him…in fact in the end they were still trying to teach him…I would like to know what he was working at before here…its obvious he was doing very well there either…thought he was coming here and walk out in a suit and tie job…lol roast on you Jose…this is a job for a robust person…ask Kim….lol Yes Jose delete the comments as you know you are a trouble maker in class of us students and wining like a baby….taking pictures of drugs and beer which I didn’t see while I was at the drilling school house…but I know someone who got a punch in the face after opening the door for the people he obviously new…putting the rest of us students at risk and him and Jamie making out…does your wife know? Look people…he spent his time at MDS taking video’s…and you know bussines (you were not allowed and is part of the contract we signed….as a student at Maritime Drilling Schools limited I want to say that it was the best course I had ever taken and well worth the investment if you’re serious. This guy Jose will never make it as a rig hand and who would want to hire him…imagine…he could video tape all his employers…what a laugh…he’s on the road he has created…empty space!!! Stay tuned more too come on this wasted time!!!! "


Other comment posted by Reggie:


"Yes you delete the comments as you know you are a trouble maker in class of us students and wining like a baby….taking pictures of drugs and beer which I didn’t see while I was at the drilling school house…but I know someone who got a punch in the face after opening the door for the people he obviously new…putting the rest of us students at risk and him and Jamie making out…does your wife know? Look people…he spent his time at MDS taking video’s…and you know you were not allowed and is part of the contract we signed….as a student at Maritime Drilling Schools limited I want to say that it was the best course I had ever taken and well worth the investment if you’re serious. This guy Jose will never make it as a rig hand and who would want to hire him…imagine…he could video tape all his employers…what a laugh…he’s on the road he has created…empty space!!!"

Ok, only a couple comments.. thanks Reggie, It was impossible lo learn a shit in your bussines (Call that school is unnapropiate) but at leats, in exchange of my 5000 bucks I have the right to explain my experience, honestly and plainly. Pictures, videos, links to anothers academy are no words, are facts.

The second is about transform take a picture in an illegal thing under Canadian law, LOL is one of the most funny pieces of shit yo'll never produce, seriously... I admire your imagination man, I understand how you are able to get clients without have a product to sell!! Anyway, seriously, the facts remain (PICTURES, VIDEOS AND LINKS TO OTHERS ACADEMIES).

Advice Part 3: The MacDonald House

If even after reading though the entire blog a couple of times you still want to attend the Maritime Drilling Schools training program, we have one important piece of advice: don't stay at the MacDonald House!

The cost for the 20 days is $800 and all you get is a bed, a pillow and a blanket. That is all. If you ask me...fucking expensive.

You WILL NOT have the following:

• INTERNET. There is no internet access in the house. None. When we mentioned this to Linda she said they will think about installing a connection...but I am guessing they say this to all the groups who go through the training. In one ear, out the other. You know, Reggie, some of us attend your training with the hopes of getting a job in the oil industry. While we are staying in North Sydney we want to begin sending our resumes and applying for jobs...kinda hard to do if there is no internet connection. How about you finally join the 21st century and hook the house up, eh? Or maybe you don't want us finding jobs? Is that true?

So where does one get WIFI? At the McDonald's about 15 minutes walk away from the house. The internet there is painfully slow and you need to buy shit to use it (but the place is open 24/7/365). So if you're a fan of McDonald's food you will be in love. If you're not...you're shit out of luck.

Then there is the public library, but the hours are erratic (make sure to check opening times). The upshot is that the WIFI is fast and they have public computers for those without laptops.

• WASHING MACHINE & DRYER. If you want to wash your clothes there is a public laundromat about 10 minutes away from the house. Costs about $8 to get your clothes washed (per load). You can add $3 and have the ladies who work there do it for you if you're lazy. How hard would it be to get a washing machine in the house? $800 for 20 days and no washing machine. Nice.

So what are the alternatives?

One of the guys said there are locals willing to rent out basements (fully furnished with private bathrooms and WIFI internet) for about $500 for the 20 days. One can also search out more info here (lots of short term rentals available):

Kijiji Cape Breton Classifieds

And if you are coming with friends, even better. Sharing an apartment with all amenities will cost less than staying at the MacDonald House.

Finally if you do want to stay at the MacDonald House, make sure you are the first to book your seat for the training...this way you will get the ONE and ONLY private room. All the other rooms sleep between 2 to 4 people on VERY small beds (if you are tall or big or both you WILL NOT be comfortable).

Random Pictures of Maritime Drilling Schools

Just to show a bit more through images and not words, here are some interesting pictures from the school as well as the MacDonald House where we stayed for 20 days. Enjoy!

The kitchen. One fridge, one stove shared between 14 people. Fun.

No alcohol at the MacDonald House? Yeah, right! Have you met a Roughneck who didn't drink?

The MacDonald House from the street. Nice, eh? Yeah, not so much...

The Wall. Hey, Reggie, your CAODC plaque has expired!

Forklift used for training...with indoor tires...used outside. Even Carla felt shame as she explained the shortcomings of this piece of ancient equipment.

Really, Reggie, no cash to upgrade the fucking tires?

Advice Part 2: Alternatives to Maritime Drilling Schools

During my training session we had people from all over...from the US, Europe, Far East and Canada. When we got to talking and the reasons for ending up in North Sydney for the 20 day MDS training, most of us agreed that we didn't see many alternative schools offering what MDS offers. But after completing the course, I decided to do a bit more in depth research and find out if that was really true.

You see most of us got blindsided by the sheer amount of certifications we would receive at the end of the 20 days of training. There is a total of 12 certificates which look good on a resume, no doubt, but at the end of the day are all of these certificates really needed to get jobs in oil and gas? I took it upon myself to find out. And my conclusions were interesting to say the least.

The most important certificates offered by Maritime Drilling Schools are those accredited by IADC or provided by third party training companies like Enform (the brilliant Terry did our H2S training and he is employed by Enform out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada) or St. John Ambulance (even though it is geared more towards everyday First Aid it is still good to have on the resume). To summarize, these are the most important certificates offered by MDS:

• IADC WellCAP
• IADC HSE RigPASS
• Enform H2S Alive
• St. John Ambulance First Aid & CPR

What about the other 8 certificates? Well...unfortunately they are not really geared towards the oil and gas industry (except the Pre-Employment Floorman Certificate). This is because Carla, who does the training, has zero experience working in the oil patch. She told us her experience lies in the construction industry...go figure. Good on you to hire a competent person (wink wink, nudge nudge) Reggie!

So really, there is no point in training at MDS. You can do the training courses above elsewhere and save a bunch of money in the process. Here is a list of schools offering the 4 certificate courses:

1. Aberdeen Drilling Schools
2. Petroed
3. IWCF Canada
4. Petrofac Training
5. PTTCO Bangkok Thailand
6. Atlantic Petroleum Training College
7. Murchison Drilling School
8. Canadian Drilling School
9. Malaga Drilling School

So if you want to get training remember this: YOU ONLY NEED THE 4 CERTIFICATES LISTED ABOVE (THE FIRST AID & CPR COURSE IS OPTIONAL). No need for more. There are also guys getting jobs at entry-level positions without any certifications, but I am a firm believer that a bit of training goes a long way...especially if you want to climb the ladder and move up on the rig (as opposed to working as a Roughneck for the rest of your life).

Finally, if you are working in the oil and gas industry and want to get promoted, I suggest you also complete the IWCF drilling course (supervisory level) as it will increase your chances of getting a Driller position with one of the big companies. The above schools offer IWCF training. And if money is no object and further training is of paramount importance, it wouldn't hurt to invest in the WellCAP Plus course from IADC...it also looks pretty good on a resume.

TO SUM UP: The 4 courses above will cost, in total, less than $1000 and take a matter of few days to complete. Trust me, the time and money saved are worth it. There is nothing that Carla can teach that makes it worth to stick around for another 2 weeks in North Sydney (unless you like to inflict pain on yourself).

If I could go back in time knowing what I know today, I would have done all the courses elsewhere.

Reg MacDonald: Wasting our time and money

One day, towards the end of the training, Reg shows up at the school. He then proceeds to take passport / visa photos of himself and his employee Carla. During school hours. He is wasting our time and money which we spent to attend the training. Here is a video:

And the kicker? Why the fuck is he taking his own pictures? Reggie, are you that poor that you can't afford to visit a photo store and have your pictures taken by a professioal? Really? And must you do this during training hours? Are you fucking serious?

BTW: The guy sitting behind the desk is Terry. He is in charge of the H2S course which is the highlight of the 20 day training (he works for Enform, a real training company, and is in no way associated with Maritime Drilling Schools). Terry is an amazing teacher and he really knows his stuff. Too bad he is surrounded by the dimwittedness of Carla and utter lack of professionalism from Reg MacDonald.

Carla & Reg: You could learn a thing or two from Terry!

Finally, more time was wasted moments later when Reggie's girlfriend Linda told him that pictures need to be taken with a solid background and not a fucking curtain. This prompted another ten or so minutes of wasted time as Reggie re-shot all the pictures of himself and Carla. Good on ya, Reggie!

Advice Part 1: Linkedin is Your Friend

So below you read that Reg MacDonald has no interest in helping you get a job (or foot in the door), his list of industry contacts is laughable and generally there is not much hope in finding a position unless you spend even more money travelling and meeting HR personnel within the offices of drilling contractors worldwide.

So what can you do?

Thank GOD for the internet. The internet is your friend and is more capable in helping you get a job than Reggie himself. Let me introduce you to Linkedin, it is like Facebook but for professionals. You can find direct contact information to most HR Managers within the medium to large drilling contractors around the world. But there is one negative side: the core functions are free, but if you want to contact (send email) with people who are not paid members of Linkedin you have to become a paid member yourself...cheapest option costs $25 / month. In my opinion still cheaper than travelling around the world and meeting these people in their offices. After you get a job, cancel the subscription.

Here is how we begin:

This is the Linkedin homepage. Sign-up here.

Once you have signed-up and created your profile search for companies that interest you.

Once you find the company you searched for you can "follow" them to get updates and search their employee list. Look for anyone working in HR (Human Resources).

As you can see above I found Lisa who is an HR Manager for Nabors International (meaning she is in charge of hiring people for their worldwide locations). Now you can contact her directly.

Above is another person who I found working for Halliburton.

So as you can see the internet is indeed your friend. You can find just about any company drilling out there and contact the relevant HR people. Good luck!

Reg MacDonald: "If I help you I have to help everyone"

Towards the end of the 20 day training program, one of the students approached Reg MacDonald and asked if it was possible for him to secure a job for that person. Sure enough, Reg refused and explained that if he was going to help him he would have to help the rest of the class get jobs as well. Really?

Here is a thought, Reg: how about helping those who actually make an effort in your school, eh?

Most of the people who attend the training don't really give a shit while they are there. They drink almost every night or do drugs or both (don't they know they will be drug screened before being offered a position in a drilling company?). Then there are those who make an effort, who paid the money from their own pockets and are keen to get started in the oil industry as soon as they finish the course.

So, what is stopping Reg from helping those who really care?

Reg always says that his school is successful because of word-of-mouth...it would be even more successful, me thinks, if he made an effort to help secure jobs for those who do well and are keen students. He himself says that he's got tons of connections in the oil industry, so why not help a bit? I mean $5000 ain't cheap and if there was a glimmer of hope in getting employment if you do well in class, more people would be willing to pony-up the cash. Just an idea.

But I guess at the end of the day Reg MacDonald thinks only of himself. Good for you, Reg.

So you wanna waste your money, eh?

I start off with my job search statistics:

• Over 150 hours sitting in front of a computer.
• Over 400 direct emails sent (they include my resume + scanned MDS certificates).
• Over 20 direct applications done through drilling company websites.
• Over 50 phone calls to human resource departments at various drilling companies throughout the world.

The result: NO JOB.

Just before Reg MacDonald left for his Chicago holiday (it was right before Saint Patrick's Day), he stopped by the MDS school to give all of us a bit of a pep-talk. Up until this point we were not given any guidance in terms of finding a job in the oil and gas industry. Some of us, spending upwards of $8000 USD, were getting desperate. We worried, naturally I think, that spending all this money and not being able to find work wouldn't be ideal...so we cornered Reg and asked him to finally tell us a bit about this list of contacts he said he would give us that will make the job hunting process easier.

What did we get? Two fucking websites that we could have easily found on our own (which I did a week before). What websites? It is no secret, so here they are: the IADC and CAODC (the second one is only useful if you are looking for employment in Canada). Each of those websites has a members directory with lists of drilling contractors around the world...he told us to send emails and call them to get jobs. Yup, that was all. No direct contact to those who actually do the hiring. None. Zip. Nada.

Of course Reg covers his ass and on the official MDS website he states that he does not guarantee employment for any of the graduates. Fair enough, I knew this coming in, but when I was speaking with Linda (his secretary and girlfriend...I think more girlfriend than secretary) she told me about this amazing list of contacts we would be given. No sweat, I though, a list is good enough for me...I am competent enough to write up a resume and send it via email...plus follow up with phone calls if needed. But to be given two fucking websites and calling it an "industry list" is laughable to say the least.

Any other brilliant advice from Reg? It was written already (see below), but I want to rehash it just so other potential MDS students know: Reg says the best way to find a job is to go directly to the companies. He says that if they need workers they will hire you on the spot.

WOW, Reg, didn't know that one, buddy, thanks a fucking lot! Of course the best way is to visit companies in person, deliver the resume and hope you get a call-back. He told us if we wanted to work in Alberta to travel to Calgary and Nisku and visit offices with resumes in hand...good advice! Of course trouble leeks into paradise when you don't want to work in Canada and want to seek employment overseas. So, for example, what if you want to work in Saudi Arabia? Should you travel to Al Khobar or Dammam (the center for oil drilling over there) with resume in hand? Or what about the North Sea? Should you travel to Aberdeen and try your luck there? Ridiculous.

Oh, but Reg reminds you, most of the drilling contractors working in the Middle East, for example, are American companies based somewhere in the States (like Nabors, Halliburton and all the others). So, Reg suggests, perhaps you can visit their offices in America with resume in hand seeking jobs overseas. Good advice, Reg, good advice. But what he does not factor in (he did already make his million, or so he says) are the costs involved in getting there and supporting yourself while looking for that job. It ain't cheap, chaps, it ain't cheap. Here is a breakdown of costs if you travel the the US in search of overseas jobs:

• Car rental = $60
• Cheap motel = $40
• Food = $15
• Fuel = $15

Total daily expense: $130.

That does not include any miscellaneous expenses you might have.

Sure, Reg says, take a friend with you to split the costs. Yeah, Reg, good advice as always!

So now you have just spent $5000 on training at MDS ($4200 tuition + $800 accommodation), transportation to North Sydney (for me, round trip, it cost about $1800, but I was coming from very far away) plus food and expenses while living there for 20 days. It adds up. And now you need to travel somewhere, either Alberta or the US, rent cars, stay in hotels and look for jobs. Say it takes you 10 days to visit all the companies and talk to all the Human Resource departments...that is an additional cost of $1300. As you can see, with tuition and other costs, you might be spending close to $10,000 for the privilege of getting an oil and gas job. Expensive? You bet!

So what if you don't want to spend the additional money and travel to where the companies are? Well, you can only send emails and call HR departments. Sometimes you'll speak to someone who makes hiring decisions and sometimes you won't. Sometimes they tell you that they need experience in the oil field and you got none. Sometimes they tell you that they will keep your resume on file since they have no open positions at present. But don't give up. Email them again, call them again and maybe you'll get lucky. Just don't expect to finish the course and start working in the oil patch right from the start, unless you got the cash to travel to where the companies are and hit their peak hiring season (usually winter in Canada). So, after spending thousands of dollars on training, make sure to have a bit left over until you get a job. It is easier for those living with mom and dad, but those of us with families (plus bills) it is not easy.