hi all,
i looking at leaving my place of work.. so im throwing around the idea of heading to iraq.
what outfits are there that i can get ahold of?
what kind of cash and expieience is needed.
i realize theres probably been a million threads on this, i looked and it seemed that it would be easier to start a new one.
regards .
Can't say that I've seen a post like this yet. I have no idea what is overseas. Good luck.
I wouldn't go to Iraq to weld for any amount of money. You can't spend that big money when you been blowed up. Stick to the west, there's more of a future in it. They don't care if you're Canadian or not, they still want to blow you up.
My uncle is doing security there,
Ill drop him a mail and see if there is anything.
But I will say this: think hard about your descision.....
They use nationals for the craft work. What is there in re-construction is supervisory and you need ex-pat or military background. Or have a skill that is in really short supply. Right now pay is $125-180K. I have not know anyone who has went over there without being an ex-pat or military who has stayed. Crafts skills are poor and you have to watch you back all the time. Reconstruction people are protected by private security and if the flare goes up, they scoot. As for welding and related skills, it is minimal unless you know how to motivate unskilled labor putting up pre-fabricated buildings.
BABRT's
I know a few folks who are over there right now. One of them is a port engineer (husbandry agent) who works in Manama, Bahrain. He makes good money, and is on the last year of a 4 year rotation. A friend of mine went to Kuwait last fall, spent 6 months there welding and fitting pipe for an exploratory outfit. He earned over 100k for his trouble and plans on going back next year. I know one other guy who was recruited pretty heavily after he got out of the navy, went to work over in Kuwait right after the war "ended." He's still there, I don't talk to him at all these days but he told me the $$ is fantastic. It's the bombs and bullets that turn me away!
It's like anything else that has a high risk of injury/ death, the pay is great....if you make it out in one piece.
Know lots of folks in the oil biznez who work in the Mid East. Do their rotations and love the work. Iraq is another issue. Big difference between Bahrain and Baghdad. The question was about Iraq. They are not taking craft people in unless you have a unique skill. KBR uses contract truck drivers. But these are GENERALLY ex-military with military fuels experience. I do not know of one general welder working as a contractor in Iraq. If you can stand the religious and military/bureaucratic BS, there are opportunities but mid-level supervision on up.
thanks for your input fella's. i appreciate it.
I saw a add on the net from an agency called K.M.S. They were looking for welders in afgan & Irag. But they wanted you to stay in a tent with no shawer and pretty much the third degree to sign up for a trip to a dirt and bug invested meca. Didn't seem all that diserable. Chances are the nearset pub would be on the wrong side of the fence.
If you have never been there, you wouldn't want to go, no matter how good the pay is. This is one huge reason that companies hire on mostly ex-military, and they are in demand. As I said, I know a few people out that way...I don't personally know anyone in Iraq or Afghanistan, however they are there. And it's not just super and management, there are blackshoe welders like you and I all over the Middle East, and not just in oil...shipbuilding and repair, construction, you can do it all.
Haliburton and HB Zachary are the only 2 companies that I know of that hire crafts
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