Your first offshore job, planned properly.

• You're researching FIFO (fly-in fly-out) work and want a clear, step-by-step plan instead of 40 open browser tabs.

• You have no offshore experience but you do have a trade, labouring, hospitality, forces, fishing or practical background.

• You're unsure whether to aim for oil & gas, offshore wind or workboats, and don't want to spend £1,000+ on the wrong ticket.

• You want to avoid the scams that target people looking for offshore jobs.

It's not for you if you want someone to promise you a job. Nobody honest can do that. This guide gives you the plan and the tools. You do the work.

Start here: Quick start. Five things to do this week, plus a jargon buster (BOSIET, CA-EBS, GWO, STCW, ENG1, Vantage, CTV/SOV and more).

1. What FIFO offshore work really is. The three sectors side by side, what 2/2, 2/3 and 3/3 rotations mean in practice, honest pros and cons, a "do I suit this?" self-check, and how to choose your first target sector.

2. Entry routes with no experience. Role cards for roustabout, steward/catering, deckhand, trainee wind technician, scaffolder and rope access technician. Each card covers what the job is, the tickets typically asked for, how people usually get in, and a pay range from the National Careers Service.

3. Tickets & medicals. BOSIET/FOET, MIST, GWO BST, STCW, the OEUK medical and ENG1: what each one is, how long it's valid, typical cost (October 2026), and how your records are checked (Vantage, WINDA). Includes a decision table: oil & gas vs wind vs marine.

4. Budget & timeline. A realistic 30/60/90-day plan, week by week, and a starter budget with real price ranges and the hidden costs people forget.

5. Where the jobs are. Specialist agencies, job boards and direct employers, with how to approach each one, a recruiter message template, a follow-up schedule, LinkedIn set-up and a training centre directory.

6. A CV that reads "FIFO-ready". The structure that works, how to present tickets, offshore keywords, onshore-to-offshore translations, before-and-after bullet points, a mock-up of the top third of a CV, ATS tips and common mistakes.

7. Applications tracker & weekly routine. What to track, a worked example, and a simple weekly routine with a scorecard.

8. Interview, medical & first-hitch prep. Common questions (including safety-culture answers using STAR), how to prepare for your medical, what to expect on your first trip, and a packing list.

9. Scams & red flags. A 12-point red-flag checklist, how to check an offer in 10 minutes, and what to do if you've been targeted.

10. Checklists & worksheets. Advert tally, ticket and document checklist, budget sheet, applications tracker and an 18-point FIFO CV check.

11. Your next step, plus a Sources page listing 45 official and public sources (OPITO, OEUK, GWO, MCA/GOV.UK, National Careers Service, IRATA and others), each with the date checked.

• A target sector and role that matches your background.

• A clear list of the tickets you actually need, taken from real adverts rather than guesswork, so you don't pay for courses you don't need.

• A budget and a 90-day plan you can stick to.

• A CV and LinkedIn profile set out the way offshore recruiters expect.

• A weekly routine and tracker so no lead or follow-up gets lost.

• The confidence to spot and avoid recruitment scams.

• Written by OffshoreCV, Professional CV Writing Specialists for Offshore, Maritime and Renewable Energy.

• Every figure is sourced and dated. Prices, validity periods and pay ranges link to the official or public source and were checked in October 2026.

• No hype and no job promises. Just the practical steps that move you forward.