Alberta Oil RoughnecksOil Worker

Basic Requirements for a Job in Alberta’s Oil Field

This guide outlines the basic requirements you should have before looking for work in the Alberta oil field jobs and what employers are looking for when hiring new employees. Working in Alberta’s oil field jobs can be a very satisfying livelihood but at the same time it can be very demanding. Working long hours, long periods of time away from home, and working in the elements are very common in most oilfield jobs but so are above average pay, travel, and working in the great outdoors.

When it comes to working in the oil field you have to take the good with the bad and realize that these types of jobs won’t suit everyone, but for the right individual the oil field can provide a very satisfying career.

Each individual company will have their own set of requirements for hiring a new employee but here is a list of common requirements found in Albertan oil field employers:

  • High school education
  • Class III or class I (class V in some provinces) clean drivers license
  • You must be physically fit (i.e. normal blood pressure, strong, be in half decent shape)
  • Be drug free (they will test you)

While those are the basic requirements most employers in the oil field jobs are looking for here are some of the skills you should possess if you would like to succeed in the industry:

  • Be able to read and write
  • Be able to communicate yourself and your ideas verbally
  • Problem solving skills
  • Planning and organizational skills
  • Plans and documentation skills (read maps, plans, ect.)
  • Math and science skills
  • Be mechanically apt

Here are some articles related to Alberta’s oil industry: