Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Well things have not been good at the workplace for the past 6 to 12 mths... the amount of billable work got less and less and soon a good majority on the people were on overheads... the situation did not improve much and we knew it was a matter of time before some of us will be asked to leave...

Well it was a black Wednesday this week, with some being informed on Thursday...
Well no surprise, I was informed on Wednesday that I have been made redundant...
Fortunately I have been with the company for a few years, hence I have some redundancy payment due to me...

But still I need to look for work... So if anyone knows of a company looking for an Instrument Engineer with experience in the Oil and Gas sector, I like to know about the opportunity... Perth based as I have a young family and relocation is out of the question... I suppose it might be a long shot asking here, but it is worth a try...

However, in the meantime, I suppose I will have more time to think about my AP expansion and possibly head down the BYAP to get some of the components. Hopefully I get a discount...

Wow, bugger... A friend of mine who is a process engineer was just made redundant because his company went bust. Very strange considering that we are meant to be full steam ahead at the moment.

I have a few friends in the industry, I'll ask around, shouldn't be too hard to find work ATM hopefully..

This would probably help explain why...

http://www.apesma.asn.au/newsviews/misc/press_releases/2010/design_jobs_wa_09_03_10.pdf

Sadly, many similar write-ups done by different bodies came up with similar comments....

So yes, it is all full steam ahead for the projects, but not for the engineers...

And the above is only on the engineering front...

Here's on the fabrication...

http://www.scandoil.com/moxie-bm2/by_province/australia/j-ray-mcdermott-awarded-fabrication-work-on-the-go.shtml

There is more if you go searching....

So what has the WA government done for us?? Increase our monthly expense bills and send away our jobs...

Last year and into this year, the company I work for was doing several rounds of layoffs each quarter. It makes it hard to go to work everyday thinking "is it me today"? There were times I almost wished it was me just to stop all the angst.

Best of luck - I hope you find something soon!
Mark

What exactly is an Instrument Engineer?

I think they engineer instraments Kuda

Ivan, I know a bloke who owns a small business providing instrament techs to remote mine and processing sites (not oil and gas) I could ask him if he is hiring, but from what i understand you maybe more of a design engineer.

I know what you mean. We sort off related our situation to all of us being a horse with a broken leg, just waiting for the bullet to the head... every time the layoff happens, you sort of hope it was you so that you can end the misery of uncertainty. Uncertainty on the "is it me this time?" and "what am I going to do at work today?" for those remaining...

I had a mate that told me he had been made redundant a while back. I sort of congratulated him before it occurred to me that this mightn't be a good thing to everybody. My problem is, admittedly from limited experience, that everyone I know seems to end up better off. If nothing else, at least for the change. He got a work 'situation' cleared up, basicly walked into a seasonal job at a silo on some huge rate (I am a winegrape grower. I think everyone is on some huge amount), and is now in New Zealand in the same field. With 8 weeks or so pay to go with it.
Being unskilled myself, I've never had a problem moving sideways. You probably have a narrower field of view than I would have, but my naive, rose coloured outlook on the working world make me believe you will be happier and freshly challenged before you know it.

I hope this isn't offensive.

Ivan what is an Instrument engineer?

I shall let wiki explain...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrumentation

Some difference in those used for the Oil and Gas sector is that the electrical instruments has various protections built into their manufacture that make them suitable for use in a combustible gas mixture situation...

A good example of day-to-day application of such electrical equipment are the Emergency Stop pushbuttons installed near LPG bowsers. They have electrical contacts in there but have protection built into them to be able to contain a spark and yet not cause a bigger explosion... provided it is correctly installed. They are usually aluminium looking round boxes... Next time have a look...

Yes Simo, thanks, but yet I am more of a design engineer. I somewhat know how things are installed or come together but do not do them myself... so yes I would possibly not be suited...

Don't worry... no offence taken... and yes it is probably best not to congratulate some in such situation, they may not take it the same way as you do...

That's really bloody annoying reading about the jobs going off shore, so much for mining/oil and gas being our saviors, bring on the super profits tax... I saw Ken Henry explaining yesterday how mining companies had not kept Australia strong through the GFC. Mining companies laid off 15% of their employees during the GFC, and if every other industry had made such layoffs during we would now have about 20% unemployment.

Well I don't blame the mining companies or any company for that matter, companies rely a lot on investment funds and cashflow to operate. During the GFC, there is uncertainty everywhere, which company in the right frame of mind would spend money during uncertainty?? I know I would not personally. So putting on the business hat, the lay offs are essential to the survival of company and to show investors a better company position statement.

And now it is the GGFC (Government generated financial crisis) with the mining tax. Uncertainty again for investors. IMO, the government should stop screwing around and actually get to do something and support the resource industry in Australia, otherwise all resource industry company would start investing overseas... then we are screwed big time... and putting on the business hat again, if I was deciding, I would also be thinking about overseas investment...