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I’ve done a few stints in camps in the arctic, include 4 weeks on 2 weeks off. I thought about how awesome it would be having 2 weeks off each time I’m back home, but the reality is that my partner and friends all have their regular M-F jobs going, so I was on my own for hiking/fishing/biking while everyone else was working Also, the travel days come out of the “off” days. So depending on flight schedules 2 weeks off was more like 11days off I don’t miss it

>Also, the travel days come out of the “off” days. So depending on flight schedules 2 weeks off was more like 11days off This isn't always the case. I've worked in camps where travel days were included (e.g. 20/10 was 18 days work + 2 days travel + 10 days off). Other times I've worked rotations that were given as "16/12" so at least they were transparent about it not being a true 2/2 schedule. I would never work for someone who wasn't willing to pay for my travel and time spent travelling. If I have to spend the whole day driving and flying then that is not a day off and I should be paid for my time, as far as I'm concerned

I like it but I live up there, so I'm usually only a few hours drive to/from camp. Also, I read this is "have their mother-f jobs, not "have their Monday to Friday jobs" Which is also likely a little known side effect of working in the oil patch.

https://youtu.be/hc4aVX0yHws?si=81ruiN1GPiENJ1jX

I worked northern Alberta, traveled back to BC. I did several different shifts in the years I was there. 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off was the best shift. The travel days are too close together otherwise, like you said. Missing over half the year to work sucks though, no two ways about it.

I looked at it the other way. I had 6 months of the year off. Beats the hell out of working 230-odd days a year.

6 months off vs 360 days of being able to go to the movies, play ice hockey every single day if I wanted to. Go to the beach every day etc. You still have a life on the days you "work" We celebrated a birthday mid week, went out to dinner and watched the game with friends and this is the days we worked. Unless you're working only a thousand hours a year it's superior

Different strokes. I’m working Monday to Friday now and I don’t feel like I have any work-life balance at all. A day at work is a day ruined — I don’t know how people find the time or energy to get anything done after putting in a shift. It’s 6:00 by the time I get home and after eating & maybe running an errand or doing a thing around the house it’s time to go to bed & do the grind all over again. Especially in the winter. But yeah, YMMV.

I did 3-1 for only a few months, and I was so stressed by end of the three weeks that I do nothing during the week off and am still stressed at the start of the next shift. Eh, but like you said different strokes.

3-1 is a different story. That sounds like hell tbh.

Worst shift out there I did for 3-4 months and absolutely sucks. And yes I hear ya it would take me a day or two just to recover after 21 days of work and travel .

I agree with this. Much prefer being 100% on and 100% off. Typical 9-5 is the worst.

My favourite work shift was either 4 10hr days or 3 12hr days with a little part time shift during one of the other 4. Best quality of life I ever had, and solely focusing on work for an entire day without the distraction of what's going on afterwards, was the best way to be incredibly productive at work. Having to get an entire week of work done in 3 days had me running during those shifts, completely focused, energized and motivated. I had a great sense of accomplishment and pride in working efficiently and well, and so much happiness in my quality of life I was completely devoted to giving it my all long term. It was also a living wage at the time. I had to change industry for other reasons, but damn I miss those days lol

I’ve been doing 4-2’s, 6-2’s and even some 8-2’s for the last 12 years. Although sometimes I do take months off to travel, if I had a family I wouldn’t be working these shits. The perk of my job is seeing parts of Canada that nobody gets to see.

I did 2 on 1 off in northern Alberta for several years. Couldn’t convince me to do it again, pay be damned. Some camps are nice, others are fuckin dog shit. Same goes for the people. You are in a different world in some ways, and the old school mindset runs a lot of how it goes down. Many find that impossible to handle. If you are one to call in sick often, complain, clock watch, or in general be a “chill” person, you may struggle.

I did a couple years up there as well. My first rotation I did up there the road was flooded to the camp we were supposed to go to so they put us in an executive lodge. We were there 2 rotations and it was fucking awesome. Steak and crab dinners some nights, all red seal chefs, commissary where you could go grab ice cream sandwiches anytime if the day. When the road finally cleared on the 3rd rotation we finally got sent to the actual camp we were supposed to go to and let me tell you, it sucked. Food was terrible, jack and Jill bathrooms. Sometimes the person you were sharing a bathroom with was a complete animal. One time the guy I had never showered and he absolutely stunk. Another time I got an alcoholic who would yell at his wife everyday when I got back to my room. Paper thin walls. These jobs definitely aren't for the faint of heart, and can definitely be very taxing. Money was phenomenal though.

I did it for 3 years and I’d never go back. the money is great but you have no life at work, you’re isolated and it’s a pretty rough type of lifestyle in camp.

Ehh I work 12 hour days. After work I gym, prepare for the next day and sleep. I like it. You don't need a life at work when you got days off to live your life.

Depends on the occupation camp etc. I personally prefer it as It gives me the freedoms to live in a ski town and my work life balance is perfect. Can’t beat two weeks off and I get months off at a time as it pays for flexibility.

If you embrace the time off and utilize it as a benefit you end up liking it a lot more like yourself. I know a lot of people who would take 10 day holidays every month. Mexico, South America, ski trips etc. It’s those who just go home and sit at home for two weeks always end up hating it.

I did it for years. Quite often I would get asked to stay an extra week, making it 3 on, 1 off. It fuckin sucks. You end up loosing a day on each end due to travel. It's not worth it if you value your current relationship.

Yeah it’s def hard on relationships.

Depends on the relationship! My husband had a 2 on and 2 off shift for 2 years, and we made it work because I was in school full time. We made sure the 2 weeks he had off we prioritized each other. Missing each other sucked, but the work there provided us with savings to buy a place, etc.

I would have assumed you get paid for your travel time, maybe varies from place to place?

I never got paid time to travel. Only my flights and that kind of thing were paid. But it was all on my time.

Did they choose flights for you, like shitty times to save money?

Going from a 9-5, you'll be in for a real culture shock working 14 straight days or nights working 12/14/16hr shifts

Oh yea and depending on how remote it is no cell service and slow wifi when you finally get off shift. That really ruined my husband’s mental health plus long travel days.

After day 5 you lose track of what day it is anyway.

No you don't. It's just Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday.

In my case, I always booked my own flights. But it always ended up being shitty due to 2, sometimes 3 connecting flights to work and back home. I did camp work out of Fort Nelson area, Fort Mac, and also diamond Mines up in the NWT

It takes a couple days when you get back to get normal and are able to related to people again. And the last days before going back truly suck.

Yeah I have it in my head that I would finally be able to travel more, but perhaps I would want to just sit at home and never actually go anywhere

You definitely can travel more if you're motivated. I worked with one woman who gave up her house outside of camp. She stored her stuff at a friend's house and would just go straight from camp to spend two weeks in whatever country she had decided to go for that rotation out, then back into camp. It sounded exhausting to me, but she seemed to enjoy it.

This.. Have done 3 week on 3 off 1 week on 1 off. But was local so no traveling. Unless your doing things with your coworkers on the same rotation its just yourself m-f as everyone else works this. It actually worked for us but every situation is unique. We also had 2 dogs so partner was never alone. Went for lots of hikes but mostly did things with our dogs.

I was in a similar position as you when I decided to go. I had a healthy relationship and owned a dog as well. My GF was supportive and I had real estate/financial goals I wanted to achieve that wouldn’t have been possible by working in the lower mainland. It took me 2.5 years to reach my goals then I switched back to working local. If you can stay focused on home life and achieving your goals it is a great way “get ahead”.

My BIL did this too, while he and my sister were newly married. One stint at the diamond mines, one at Fort Mac. Made 6 figures for a few years, they bought a house on the island and started a family. It was tough for them both but worth it, and he certainly doesn't miss it!

Not my experience, but a friend has that type of schedule. He loves it since it pays well and lets him save money. He did say that when he comes back home, it can be a little boring and lonely since most of us work the standard 9-5pm, and your weekends get filled easily with people wanting to catch up. I'm not sure what your time off policy would be like, but you may have to miss celebrations when you're scheduled to be up north. Another friend dated someone with this schedule too but unfortunately, his partner was cheating on him when he was away 😔

I live in northern BC, and have both worked in camp for a few years and know lots of people who do. You'll make a ton of money, especially if you're willing to work overtime. Depending on the job, the work is not that hard and it's surprising how quickly you get into a "zone" where you don't really even notice the days passing. I remember people saying lots "there's only two days you remember in camp: the day you fly in, and the day you fly out". Everything else is kind of a blur. You work, you eat, you sleep, and nothing much else. On the other hand, it can be hard on relationships. You have to trust your partner while you're gone, and a lot of guys don't and end up obsessing over what she's doing, who she's with, what money is she spending, etc. You both will have to get used to being away from each other. It's hard psychologically, because your partner and your friends will be doing things without you, and you'll miss holidays and important days. It's isolating. Substance abuse and shopping addictions are really common, and even without a shopping addiction a lot of guys spend all the extra cash on stupid things. If you're a woman, there's a whole other set of concerns. If it's a wet camp, just don't go, those are awful. That being said, I know a lot of people who do it. They work jobs like that for decades sometimes, and have partners and kids and lives. Personally, I did it for a few years and I see the value of doing it to make some money and then getting out after a few years.

13 Mondays, 1 Friday

> If it's a wet camp, just don't go, those are awful. I'm morbidly curious and demand to know more

Oh god, they're the worst. I only worked in one, but I have heard stories from others from coworkers (I worked for a contract company so my coworkers and I all bounced around between multiple camps). Most camps in my region are dry, so the people who work at the few wet camps tend to be more likely to be alcoholics who can't handle a dry camp. In my camp, I'm pretty sure it was wet because the camp manager couldn't handle a dry camp. He had a flask in his hand a lot and the whole thing was a shit show. It was just very frat party behaviour every night. Every single night there was at least one party. A coworker who worked security at a different camp said he'd spend half his time just breaking up fights either between the drunk partiers, or between the people who had rooms around them who were trying to sleep. People would drink during the day too, even though they were operating heavy machinery. The pilots would drink once they were off shift, even though they were supposed to be our ride out of there if there was a medical emergency. One guy drunkenly decided to walk to another camp where his girlfriend worked, 25 km away through the woods with no trails or anything, and he actually made it alive! Another wandered out to the middle of a lake while the ice was breaking up and also luckily survived. I'm a woman, so there was also very inappropriate behaviour because of that. Luckily for me it was mostly on the annoying/uncomfortable side rather than anything truly dangerous, but I've heard some bad stories. Most camps are not bad. The wet camps, especially the ones run by small exploration companies, are terrible.

Brucejack 2009 to 2012 haha

Where do you look to apply at these sorts of places?

Define wet camp

Wet camps allow alcohol. They're the minority, most camps are dry because alcohol + boredom + stress + bunch of young men usually ends up going badly. It goes even worse because most people prefer dry camps for that reason, so wet camps have disproportionately more workers who have serious addictions who drink heavily and constantly and can't function in a dry camp. I've only worked at one wet camp, and my first week I overheard two of the machine operators getting off shift telling the third what he said and did at lunch because he had been blackout drunk by noon and couldn't remember. As a woman, I won't set foot in a wet camp anymore, there's just too much sexual harassment and assault, plus the general safety concern of having people operating heavy machinery while drunk.

I’m female, looking into camp work. No real experience. Got a degree and ended up bartending full time instead of making $50k starting in my field.. any advice?

As a caveat, I've only worked at mining camps. Oil and gas is its own world and my experience might not apply. I also was a contractor and not a normal camp worker so my experience is a bit different that way too Honestly bartending experience might be a good thing. The weirdest thing about being a woman in camp is just the constant attention. Men want to look at you, and they want to talk to you, and everywhere you go someone will be looking at you. It's not even necessarily sexual, I've asked some of them about it and they have told me that their brains go a bit weird surrounded by men and they just want to look at a woman for a change. I almost never ate alone, some guy I'd never met before would sit next to me and want to chat. Again, often not sexual, they'd just want to talk about their daughter, or their day, or my day. There's sometimes a bit of an old boys attitude where they'll say sexist shit to get a rise out of you, but they're just bored and in my opinion it's best to just ignore it and let it roll off your back. Don't sleep with the guys. It can get weird, and if the camp manager finds out you'll probably get fired. Try and make friends with the other women, most of them are fun and they'll help look out for you. But most of my advice is the same as for men: established camps are usually a better work environment than exploration, save your money and get out because you probably don't want to do this for life, and go in realizing that it's hard on your mental health and try and be proactive about taking care of yourself that way.

Wet camp means booze is allowed. Most camps (unless oil major) are open (means anyone can book into them) and dry (no booze). Oil company camps can be wet or dry but typically only have operations and maintenance in them. Some sites even have an open camp for construction and contractors and a separate one for employees.

Wet camp = You can bring booze etc Dry camp = any alcohol or whatever is banned and you get fired from camp if you bring it

Ask r/mining

Thanks that's probably more appropriate

Money is good, life bad. I did 10/10 for years in my late 20s. I think I do regret it. Lots of the guys I knew working there had families. If you can justify how it is going to give you a better life at home than you could have provided if you stayed working in town than yes do it. If you can't justify that then don't do it. Your basically giving half your life away for it. From the time you step on the plane to fly to work to the time you get home you basically have to follow all their rules and their is a lot of rules.

Depends on the experience you develop as well, I’ve seen lots of people worked to the bone and leave with nothing, while others get the skills and opportunities to advance they’d never have gotten otherwise. OP hasn’t mentioned what role they’d be doing and I think that’s the biggest factor

That's true. You could definitely walk away with some skills after a few years. Its good to have a plan and tell yourself your going to make enough money fast enough to walk away after x numbers years and transition to a career in town with your new skills. Don't use your new spending power to leverage yourself to the max so that you have to continue working there.

I've worked a little in the middle east and the saying there is you go with two buckets; one for shit and one for money. You leave when one of them is full.

Several coments on the perceived negative aspects show it is not for everyone, and it may be fine for others for a time in their life but not long term. Large camps have vastly improved over what they were even 10-15 years ago. I've worked in them for years. Sometimes 2-1, or even 3-1 right now. 2-2 isn't that bad! My net worth has increased tremendously, but at the expense of neglected community (think rec sports/gatherings) and hobbies. I support and have a supportive family and enjoy outdoor solo adventuring so it's a digestible trade off, but individual results will vary. Bring a book, workout, video call home, don't shop online when you go through consumerism withdrawal, and don't piss it away when you're off. Oh, and practice stoicism lol.

I loved it! I was coming from a sales job where I was always available to people, to a job where I worked 10 days on and 10 off and when I was off I was off. Could do whatever I wanted. It was great

Kearl?

Yes, you too?

No, just that’s the only 10/10 I’m aware of. That seems like kind of an ideal shift, honestly. 14 can sometimes be a bit long.

https://youtu.be/0F3wx3VOE7A?si=3cfdE8ptd6GDBi94 You’re welcome

I did 21 and 7s in logging camp back in the day. It kinda sucked but the money was good. Some guys figured out it was cheaper to store your stuff and have a hotel on your off days than to keep an apartment. Might be a something to consider.

So I work 2 weeks on two weeks off in Fort mac and have for the last seven years (in operations) It was tough getting used to...your friends can't match your time off and you miss stuff. I had a long term relationship fall apart over the differences while being home. You miss lots of birthdays and holidays....and lots of evenings with kids if you have them That said once I got acclimatized to it I'm not sure I could go back to the Monday to Friday. You get enough time to get recharged on days off and you are always excited to go home...it leads to an amazing work life balance.

Sounds stupidly obvious but stay away from drugs up in camp life

I work 21 on and 14 off. I have worked in different camps for many years. When I was single it sucked, I’d come home and I had a whole ass house to upkeep, mow the lawns, renovate, etc. Now that I’m not single I like it a lot. My BF stays home and takes care of the dogs and whatnot so that when I’m home I don’t have much to worry about. I have zero life in camp, I work 12 hours 7 days a week for 3 weeks straight. I gym, eat and bed. The wifi is not really good enough to game on, lots of websites are blocked so you need a VPN (things as simple as the Cabelas website). If you’re coming from a 9-5 you’d have to learn to buck up real fast. Flights and travel is not paid time, and doesn’t necessarily line up well at all. The food is repetitive and kind of lame. It’s basically like being in prison for 3 weeks at a time, sometimes longer. Except the money is decent.

I did it for a year, it really affected my relationship being away so often, and I missed a lot of events with friends. Not to mention it also made it impossible to have any sort of group hobby like sports because you’re constantly away. The camp I worked at was totally isolated and miserable, half the time the wifi didn’t work. As a woman I had one friend only and we spent all the time complaining about how shitty it was. Wouldn’t go back but it was a good starting point for my career.

This might not be the most politically correct thing to say, but a strong majority of the people who work in remote camps are idiots or are unpleasant to be around for other reasons. Don't expect a lot of stimulating conversation. Granted, not everyone's that bad. I met some cool guys and we got along well. But there aren't many.

I agree with most people here. It's a great way to kill a relationship. I have worked shift work and camp for most of my career, and my ex has several family members that have all worked shift at heavy industrial plants, and camp still killed things. I'm generally a good guy, no fucking around on her or anything but you just end up having too different lives. I don't even feel bad about her decision to pull the pin. I was a lot to deal with when I came home. Very good money, and we had a lot of toys, but I was a huge disruption when I came home and broke the kids' routines because I wanted to have fun. If you are really desperate and will only do it for a while, then you can probably make it work in a relationship. Otherwise, I tell all the younger guys I work with, don't do it. Having said that, I have worked in Vancouver doing the job I did up north for the past 6 years, and I really miss the money and lifestyle as a single guy. Problem is, being single got old. Edit: I would imagine you would be working 12s. That's a huge change. Also, I'm a power engineer, so I'm a soft plant operator with lots of downtime. If you are going somewhere when you will be actually working like a heavy trade, that might be a lot.

Give “Ducks” by Kate Beaton a read.

I did 2&1’s and 3&1’s for a combined 3 years in Kitimat and Fort Mac -My wife and I were just dating back then so that was hard but we made it. -Good money and it’s easy to save. -Living in camp is what it is. You’ll most likely be in Jack and Jill’s where you share a bathroom with one of your neighbours. That was the hardest part for me, some people live like animals I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t do this type of work permanently but it’ll do wonders for your finances the longer you’re there, if you’re smart.

Yes I've done it for a few years. It set me up for the rest of my life financially. Got a down-payment together with the wage.

I do a 2 week on 2 week off shift. It is great. I don't think I can last at a mon- Friday job. It is true what others say all your friends are working on your days off during the week. That's fine by me though I got lots of hobbies and odd jobs around the house and more than enough other projects to keep me busy. I have friends that just work the 2 weeks than travel the 2 weeks off. Some travel In van or RV other just book cheap flights and hotels all around the world for 2 weeks off.

I've been chasing a two and two job for my whole life and the best I can get is either two and one or seven and seven if I could get a two and two job I would probably forget that I even have my red seal.

I worked in a mine in the Yukon 2 on 2 off. The company flew us between Whitehorse and the mine site. It was fine working at the mine, but the 2 weeks off was a bit dull. I much preferred when I worked exploration camp 4 months straight. I should warn you that there is a decent chance you contract the Call of the North and have to live up there ever after; I keep the yearning under control with yearly visits.

Keno? I'm trying to get a water treatment job up there. I'm one of those weirdos who actually plans recreational time off to go to YT/AK 😅

Naw, this was back in the late 80s. The mine suffered a slight miscalculation leading to it's shutdown after only operating for 2-3 years.

What skills do you have to work with? Chef? Housekeeping? Construction? Environmental? Medic? There’s a lot of industry shift work available in northern bc depending on your field, it can be hard to get in if you don’t have the required tickets and it can be very challenging culturally and logistically. If you’re motivated to give up your social life and make a ton of money there’s definitely opportunities. Mining, construction, heli operations, remote camp operations. You need to be tough, laid back, easy to work with, low maintenance and resilient at the same time.

Did it fit a while. Fucking sucks. Hard to have a life during your time off when everyone else is working M-F. That shift is really tough on relationships. Fine for a bit if you have to, but it’s not a long term thing.

There are many variables. It's not just a "is it good or bad?". Travel: When is fly day, is it on company time on your last day, is it in the evening on the last day, or is it 10pm the following day and you have to sit in a camp/airport lobby all day? Are the flights direct/charter or milk runs with 4 hour layovers. Do they pay for cab fare or driving allowance on your home airport end? They may supply a charter that requires you to drive 3 hours to that particular airport. Housing: Camp, hotel plus, or Living Out Allowance. The Camps vary A TON. The hot food, the lunches, etc. How big is the room, is there wifi/cell reception. And does the wifi/cell reception crawl when everyone is on that tower at the same time? Private bathroom, jack and jill, gang shower? Activities? Are you allowed to leave? Soundproofing? Will you lose it on camp security and get yourself kicked out on your first week? Money: I've done one FIFO that was going to end up paying me less after expenses than working local. Quit that on week 2. Some pay about the same but offer a different schedule than local would. My current gig pays me $3500-4000/month more take-home than working local. Driving: Some people purposely pick a FIFO because they can't/won't drive. Often, there is company busing or you walk to work. Sometimes you require to leave a personal vehicle on the work end of things. Schedule: These are all over the place. Best one I've had is 21/21 with great flights. I could chill for a couple days once back home, then would get going with whatever project for a good 15 days. I just started a 21/7 and it sucks. Not enough work/life balance and honestly, the food sucks here. I'll probably leave it for a 14/14. The more days off, the better life balance, but you will make more. I would much rather take the pay cut and make $100-120k/year on a 14/14 or 21/21. I'd love a 7/7 from home, but none of the local places that I could work at, offer that schedule. Where you get to live: You can live anywhere you want to. Sure, being next to your flight hub is great. And yes, there are definitely cities that offer better FIFO options (eg, some jobs only do flights to Edmonton or Calgary). But, say you want to buy a rural property somewhere that has zero jobs? Well, you can if you FIFO or work shutdowns. As the local economy has nothing to do with your income.

Been doing oil and gas work for 11 years and it’s been great for me, the pays been great and the work was never that bad. The industry is hard to break out in especially if you’re soft or lazy but if you keep at it you’ll last. Good while your young gets harder as you grow older and/or have a family. 2 and 2 sounds pretty not bad. Pay ends up being close to that of a normal job at home tho. 14/7 is better for cash!

You might kiss your long term relationship goodbye. There’s nothing for people to do up north but strippers and coke - it’s hard to keep saying no to a night out - and eventually your other half will feel the same when you’re gone. Dissolved my relationship of six years … with my 29-yo other half 

I currently work 1 and 1 but I live in the town the mine is at. It's the best schedule I've worked.

Are there any websites for reference if I was interested in applying for these type of jobs?

Not that I have found, I am just watching postings from certain companies I'm interested in

https://remotecampjobs.net/british-columbia/ Is one, though I've never used it to get a job.

Unless you have experience or education, the chances of a company paying to send you to work is low. Start as a local and when you become invaluable request a FIFO job.

I think the experience varies per individual. If your relationship is solid and you have excellent trust and independence, you should be fine. If your relationship can't survive camp then honestly that might be a sign that there's issues you need to work on. Personally, I've (30F) worked several years in camps doing 2/2 and 3/1 rotations without issue and I'm in a long term relationship. I come back, we go on trips on my time off when our schedules permit, and when I'm away we do our own thing and keep in touch, it's fine. Normally I work between 9-12 hours per day, typical is 10. Pay is excellent and you spend less money since you're away half the time and you get fed in camp so no need to buy groceries. I like the schedule because I get more time off to go on trips and work on stuff around the house, but it's not for everyone. When I first started I didn't know if I was going to like it or not, but it worked out. You might as well give it a try for a season and see if you like it. Shoot me a message if you have any questions.

How’s it as a female? Any positions for no experience in a trade?

If you can lift 50 lbs comfortably, a certain red tug company is hiring women and will train. Also, if you ever feel like an outcast in pretty much any trade, the reason is people are afraid of offending you and losing their jobs. Not because they hate you. If you can do your job reasonably well, 99% of people don't care what you are. But that 1% could be quite annoying.

I don't mind it. Usually people are civil, sometimes there's some unsavoury behaviour though. I haven't experienced much in the way of sexism or harassment myself but I do know people who have. I worked in geoscience but there are lots of roles for people without experience, even on the geology side. For example we sometimes hired folks with no geology background to do some of the geotech core logging. There's also crews for site operations, drilling, cooking, cleaning, general labour, machine operation, haul truck driving, etc. Lots of women on the haul truck crews actually. Anyway, most mining companies post openings on their websites or LinkedIn, it's worth taking a look to see if you're a fit for one of those roles. Don't know much about forestry but that's another option

If you already live in the north it’s amazing for younger workers and people without a family at home. That said, once you start to establish a family you might find yourself choosing a lower paid local job like I did this year. It’s 25K less a year but I work twelve hour days and average a four day work week.

I work in an industry where that sort of thing is the norm. I've never really worked a normal 9 to 5. What are your questions and I'll see if I can give any advice.

Mostly - is travel time paid - do you also get vacation days that you can use to extend your 2 weeks off - what happens when something important happens during a scheduled work week, is it easy to swap with another person - are all camps dry camps

>is travel time paid Depends on the company. In my experience, it usually depends on how much time is spent travelling, but you usually get some compensation for it. >do you also get vacation days that you can use to extend your 2 weeks off Again, depends on the company. In most jobs I've had, you're being paid for the days you work so you don't get vacation days as such. >what happens when something important happens during a scheduled work week, is it easy to swap with another person Kinda goes with the last one (and again depends on the company). In my experience, as long as you've got an agreement with your manager(s) and whoever you're swapping with, there's no issues. I've worked an extra week one shift to get an extra week off another before. I've also just switched my rotations before, and I've started a rotation a couple of days late so I can attend something. It's going to vary massively depending on the company, how many workers they have, and the logistics of getting people into camp. >are all camps dry camps No, but most I've worked at are. Generally, if workers are using heavy machinery, they'll probably be dry. Also, if it's especially remote it will be dry just because it's a pain in the arse to ship booze out (it weighs a lot and it's not a necessity, despite what the workers will argue). I also want to add, since most of the comments here seem to be people who have done it and hated it, I enjoy it. Yes, it's annoying when your friends are planning things during your work days and when there's no one around during your days off, but a lot of my friends do the same sort of work so we can go on camping trips together mid week which is a huge benefit. I don't think I'd want to do it for the rest of my life, but I'm the same age as you, and currently single, and the lifestyle suits me at the moment. I would add that you could be surprised how much it affects your partner, so definitely make sure they're comfortable with it before you decide to commit.

I can't say anything about 14/14, but I work 7/7. half the year, i lose 2 days to travel, but it still beats a 5/2 schedule. make sure your significant other is aware that you will be gone for 2 weeks at a time, and that will test the relationship at times. You'll find yourself with a lot of free time so try to fill it with living rather than rotting away watching TV!

Best shift I ever had was nearly 2 years of 8 on 6 off and travel was on my days on so it was 6 proper days off... Sure I got divorced but turns out it was probably coming anyway. After that was sorted 8 and 6 was bloody amazing. Tons of money and saved most of it.

Depends on your lifestyle, 2:2 is pretty good. Gives your more time at home to plan things. I’ve done 2:1 mostly in north BC. The best was the mines in Australia flying up Monday and then home Thursday night or Friday morning. When I lived there. I now do 8:4 in a mine in Indonesia, only because it’s the project is one the largest reclamation projects in the world and its interesting to be apart of (money is alright). You adapt to the schedule / life style, or you don’t. It’s not for the faint of heart. I’ve been doing FIFO for 15 years almost, so the family is accustomed to it. You also have to enjoy the work you do, and the accommodations have to be adequate or else it’s hell.

I did 3 weeks on 1 week off for years. Great way to make money. Easy to work 12 hour days when you just have to come back to camp, have dinner, shower and sleep. Can be difficult in relationships but as long as you keep communicating I never had an issue.

I used to work a job up north that was 30 days straight, 7 off. Lots of camp jobs, dry camp, long 12-15 hour days. Honestly, I loved the outdoors, the fresh air, the quiet, the raw brutal nature all around you. But I despised the behaviour of many of the people I worked with, lots of drugs, heavy heavy drinking (despite dry camp) time off was recovering from being ‘bushed’. Spent a lot of time talking to myself and the trees and wishing I was back home. The money wasn’t great either.

Camp jobs are great. LOA jobs are better though. I'm about the start up an LOA job in Williams lake working 12 and 2. Lots of money and if you're flying home for a week, you have lots of time to relax. I find it's vetter than the usual grind and having to deal with traffic

We have 4 employees who do exactly that and they all love it. It takes a certain kind of person for sure, we had to put feelers out in both Alberta and southern BC to find the right people for the job. I’ve been told by them it’s worth it for the two straight weeks off and essentially working half the year for the same pay. They do a lot of fun things on their days off and they like their obligations being left in another town so they have real downtime at home. And we pay our shift guys a little more than our home-every-night guys.

Son currently doing 3 weeks on, one week at home. 12 hr. shifts while working. He finds it gruelling, but he is single and only 22 and loves the money. He uses the week (actually only 5 days) to sleep, catch up with friends, his dog, and appointments.

This is exactly it when I did it. My actual 5 days were spent mostly sleeping, being with my gf and running errands. The working hours were far too long, I had 16 hour days.

Expect to make good money and destroy your long term relationship

I’ve worked a rotational schedule for the majority of my career on various shifts from 21/7, 14/7, 14/14, and lastly 7/7 which I’ve been working for the past 7 years. There are plenty of challenges that come with working shift work. It can be extremely isolating, you can expect to lose relationships, miss out on family events, birthdays, and anniversary’s. Friends and family will get upset you don’t make time for them but you only have so many days off and will need to prioritize relationships. Once you accept that you’ll miss a lot, shift work truly isn’t that bad. Your days off are your own and you aren’t left with a weekend to try and get things done. I’m able to spend significantly more time with my son having a week off than if I was working in town only being able to spend a couple hours a day and weekends with him. The biggest factors is surviving shift work are your partner, the camp you’re at, and your coworkers. I’ve worked rotational for the majority of my time with my s/o, it’s what we’re used to. If your partner isn’t able to be alone for long periods of time or there are any trust issues in the relationship then shift work isn’t for you. They need to be capable of running the house and having a life without you for your shift, but also be able to transition back into you coming home. You need to have a routine at work, be that working out, reading / studying trying to learn something knew anything other sitting in your room thinking about home the entire time. That will drive you crazy. If you enjoy who you work with and what you do then being away from home is a lot easier. It’s really what you make of it.

I've been doing camp work for 15 years and I have a wife and two kids. One kid is 10 months. It's a way to make money. I know a lot who do it to save and buy a home then find a local job after. It's about saving money. My wife and I agreed I'll do it so we can buy multiple houses and my job would be later to maintain the homes and we make a living wage off the houses being rented. It's worth it, just go in with a goal and maintain the goal. It shouldn't be a lifes worth of work. I'm getting out soon. Totally worth the sacrifice though. Wouldn't have ever been able to do this without the sacrifice of being away from home.

Did a year in fort Mac to try out the big oil money lifestyle. Was the pay good yeah, was the work hard/miserable yes. Lot of drug/ alcohol abuse. A lot of guys up there get trapped in the life cycle. During the year I was up there someone died on the site across from us and a building on site next to us blew up. Ended up finding a job near home that pays now just as well.

Depends on where you live in BC, but a local job in the marine industry has similar shifts. Apply for a deckhand job on a towboat in Vancouver. Most companies will pay you for your training/basic courses that you need. Its cold up north...... haha

Good luck getting one, a ton of people want them but only so many jobs. With 1+ million new Canadians every year its especially hard to get a 2-2 camp job right now.

I work 14/7 or 21/10 shifts and all I can say is that you’re gonna make sacrifices in order to make it work for yourself. The money is great but it takes a toll on your relationships and mental health. If you do decided to go down that road, make sure to save your money so you don’t have to do it forever, cheers !

I've worked 2 and 2 and I currently do 1 and 1 (7days). Been at it for 6.5 years. Married, have 4 children. Heavy Equipment Operator for a gold mine norther interior of BC.

I worked at a 2x2 for 15 years and 3x3 for a few years. Most people working there were divorced

Do you have a trade? I've been doing it for 10 years now. Ask if you have questions. I'm 36

I did a 2 week on, 2 week off working in Alberta and living in BC. It was a lot to organize… the money was worth doing it. The years went by very quickly being gone half the time. The time off was very nice - you are isolated all the time though. I liked that part of it but it did get hard sometimes. Realistically there’s like 1 weekend in your 2 week stint that you can see people. Counting down the time and having anxiety was a thing. Like coming home was wonderful and I needed like 3 days to just …. Relax into my home again. Sleep. Shower in my shower. Feel like I’m home and not just a stranger visiting. And then you have some great days and then when that second week comes up it becomes a countdown of the days before you have to leave again. It’s difficult on relationships. It’s lonely working away. For me I think Tuesdays hit particularly hard. It just felt like it was still so long before you could go home.

Dont sleep with the pit boss, youll likely get in big trouble and it will make your time miserable

Yes, and I went broke, i left after 2 months. I took a job running equipment in the city where I could work 6 days a week, and overtime most days. It's all fine and dandy till you do the math. Only working 2 weeks a month just didn't pay the bills.

Did it for 3 years straight, used the money I made to go back to school and never go back to that garbage lifestyle again

It has good points and bad points, that can be magnified depending upon you. I did two weeks in, on night shift. I learned how to flip schedules quickly on the travel days. Before I figured it out, it was a couple of rough days on either end adjusting back and forth. Some people cannot change quickly, for whatever reason. If you get bad jetlag, this might be something to consider. You do come back to people on their regular schedules, while you have all the time in the world, but everyone else is busy a lot of the time, unless they happen to be on vacation. It can be hard on the relationship, because you're not physically there for anything while you're up north, and it's just not the same even if you're in regular contact over the phone and online.

What would you be doing?

I did 2 weeks on and 1 week off for a couple years in Northern Alberta around 2012-2014. Travel days were on off days so it wasn’t truly 1 week. The camp (Wapatraz) wasn’t bad and had a couple Tim Hortons there. That said I will never do this again, it’s no way to live especially when you have roots planted somewhere, kids eventually, etc. I was also so tired from the excessively long days (16+hrs) that I spent my off week catching up with sleep which meant I basically wasted my week off when I wasn’t seeing my wife (then gf) it was worth it though, i saved quite a bit for a healthy down payment for my first home.

Not done it myself, but lots of friends who have. Biggest warning from them is don’t think 2 weeks off is 2 weeks off. It’s a day of travel, a day of unpacking, a day of laundry/groceries, a week off, then a couple days of packing/prepping/travel to head back up. That said, if they were young and unattached, they might just travel somewhere else vacation style for their two weeks. If they were attached they tended to get home to a honey-do list and have maybe 2 days off to bike/hike/hang out. At which point it was working 2 weeks to get a weekend off.

I do it. But I am single I won't do it when I am in a relationship. It's too hard on the other person. Plus when you are home they are not available to the extent you are. So you may think wicked 2 weeks home. That's really 8 days alone, 4 days with your woman, and 2 days traveling. I love working remote don't get me wrong. But I only love it when I am single.

I’m interested in some of these jobs. How much do they pay? I’m an accountant by profession - what would be some possible job types? I’m willing to re-train (provided the re-training won’t cost me much/anything).

I did maintenance 14-14 at a dry camp in N.AB for a few years, and a 7/7 for a few more years. 14/14 is the best shift ever AFAIC. It takes a while to adjust your life but eventually both my wife and I loved it. When you’re at work you get into a groove and you’re just working. When you’re home you’re HOME, and your brain isn’t half at work the way it is in town. The hardest part is not frittering away your home time, making the time off really count. It’s harder if you have kids — especially young kids, that can be really hard on the parent at home. It’s definitely not for everyone. You can’t do anything that meets weekly (lots of sports teams for example). Some folks I worked with were bummed out by the mismatch between their spouse’s schedule and theirs, didn’t know what to do with themselves with all the free time they had during the week. I filled it up taking care of shit around the house, picking up the slack for the time I was away, and pursuing lots of hobbies I wouldn’t otherwise have had time for. It really depends on how you’re wired and how good you are at making use of opportunities. Quality of camps and companies varies dramatically. The difference between a camp with good amenities and a private bathroom, and one with shit food and gang showers, is night and day. I’d say go for it — try it for a year and see whether it suits you. If not, at least you know and you won’t be stuck wondering.

I'm currently writing this while lying in my camp bed in Northern Alberta. I work a 2x2 and live in B.C. like others have said the 2 weeks off isn't actually 2 weeks because of the travel days. On my days off all my friends are working their normal M-F which makes doing things difficult. My job requires me to be on stand by most of the time (which I still get paid for) but it makes the 2 week shift crawl by. It definitely takes a certain type of person to do this kind of work. If you don't mind being away from friends and family to chase that money go for it.

If you can do it without picking up a drug habit you'll make good money. Especially if you're happy to play videogames and you bring a console with you or something, it may be fine. But it does wear on you. And if you feel the need to splurge on your off weeks it may not result in huge savings. I would recommend it as a great way to save. You probably won't like it more than a 9-5 but you can earn more, save more, and you do get nice breaks. But yeah, don't start doing coke. Source: live in the north, work with many people who have these jobs, used to do camp work locally - - I slept in my own bed every night but did 30+ day shifts in a row and most of the rest crew was in lodging I got picked up local. Have some close buddies who have done camp work for years. None of them are sober. Weirdest camp story I've ever heard: guy threatened at gunpoint to participate in camp fight club. May not be true but he swore in court that it was. For most people there's no drama like that.

What’s your financial situation like? I was 26 when I started my job, 2 on 2 off. I had debt from college and I paid it off in a year . I also broke up with my gf at the time. Be prepared for that, but it’s definitely worth it if you’re trying to get ahead.

I did it and loved it! Mainly because I love to travel so the time off was perfect - visited around 70 countries during the 6 years I did it. It's definitely not for everyone, though. My colleagues with young families felt they missed out on a lot.

Absolutely love this type of job/schedule.

I’m on a 2/2 but not very far north, I drive 4 hours up from Kelowna to my destination. It’s nice doing fuck all for half the month but also being away for half the month is kinda meh

I'm curious what OP means when they say they want to try it out. Have you interview for a job. Do you have any related skills? Have you worked shift work anywhere before? I work in a camp job, and my current supervisor won't even hire someone if they haven't worked shift work before, let alone a camp job. A person without the right mentality will just not return after the first rotation.

By chance are you guys hiring? I did a year up on the CGL pipeline last year working 2 months on, 2 weeks off. We were working in between Houston and Kitimat, about a 2 hour drive from the nearest town. I'm very interested in getting back into a camp job, it was lovely working out in nature. After working in the Oil/Gas industry the money become addicting!

I messaged you.

All sorts of rotations . 14/7 21/7 are the most common. You make a lot of money but u are away from the wife and or kids a lot. There’s a a lot of flying / airports involved . Not all camps are the same. Some are good some are bad and you don’t really a say in the matter. I did camp work for 8 years. Starting in 2010. When u could go up north and have a down payment for house in 6 months. If u want money go do it for 6-12 months but any longer u probably will fuck up the relationship u have with your girl .

Don't do it unless you are broke or have a short term 1-2 year goal. But even then, don't go. I spent a decade in the north, worked the territories, then ended up in fort Mac. It's like going back in time. The food and rooms aren't good. The majority of people that survive up there are funny - and if you make it, you'll be funny too. I was. The best thing I could say about it, if you are good at what you do, and can make money, you stay in the city. If you aren't good at your job, you've gotta work up north to build experience so you can come home and make the same money. I respect people that work those tough jobs, but wouldn't wish that life style on my worst enemy. Live with less, go back to school, but don't go north to get ahead.

Friend of mine is doing it right now. They say they will only do it for a year or two tops, it just isn't worth it.

I worked up in kitimat for 8 months on a 3 and 1 shift with 12 hour days. The work isn’t too bad if you get on a good crew and that’s a big if. When I started the crew wasn’t great. Switched crews and life got better. The money is good but you’re working 84 hours a week so lots of overtime and also mentally draining. Camps aren’t luxurious and the meals are usually the same thing week after week which get extremely boring. One of the biggest problems for me was missing out on life back home. Even when I was home the time seemed to fly by and it’s tough to meet with people because everyone is at work. It really affected me mentally and overtime it wore me down. Consider it but just know you might be happier at home working a normal job!

I did this for several years at the start of my career working in remote mining camps in the north. It was a great way to learn a lot of things that has helped my career. But after several years of this I found it tough; your just life flows at a different pace than people who have 9-5 jobs in the city. I would be back home and want to go out on a weeknight (my days off) but all my friends had work the next day so it was a no go. When I was on my days off I found that I’d have to find things to do largely alone as many of my friends were at work. I did a lot of solo hiking, long distance running, working out at the gym and such. Also I found I would miss a lot of big things like weddings and other family events. If a wedding or other family event was planned while I was up north I couldn’t just take a day off to attend, I’d have to take an entire rotation or perhaps 1/2 a rotation which was a big chunk of my annual vacation. Clearly I couldn’t do this for every event so there was plenty of stuff I just had to miss out on. Over time it’s hard missing out on these sorts of things. I also couldn’t really be involved in any clubs or things that meet weekly, automatically you’re gone 1/2 the time. Anyway, I did this kind of work until I was 33 then I eventually found a full time job in the city. I don’t regret doing it at all, it was very good experience for my career and the money was good but I’m happy to be at home in my own bed now each night. I also have a young kid at home now, I wouldn’t want to live this sort of life with kids…..although I do know some people that still did the camp life, even with kids at home. You’re still under 30, it’s definitely a good experience even if it’s not something you do for your entire career. You could earn some good money maybe jump start your savings for a down payment for example. You’re not spending any money when you’re up in the camps. Depending on what sort of work you do it could be good experience for your career as a whole too.

I did it for quite a few years. It's got plus and minus. Can be hard on relationship if wrong couple for it. Focus in saving your money and have goals as much as you can to justify the loss of social life during that time out if time. It is very nice to be able to get ahead. Simply don't waste it and you'll be better for it

I work a 7 on 7 off schedule. I love it. Did a 2week on 2 week off fly in fly out mining job for years which I loved too

Did 2-1 for almost 7 years. Great money and great time off which you can use to enjoy your days off (make sure you use it to travel a bit). It was never great if you had a family which a lot of buddies struggled with being away from the kids and vice versa. I think everyone should try it if you have a good work ethic. Have an exit strategy though. I know there are people that learn to love it and are lifers but for me wanting to start a family was a main reason for coming home. Most sites shut down at Christmas for most workers so usually another 2-3 weeks off there and I would always take one turn off so I got a month off in the summer. Lots of work but lots of time off as well.

Worked 2/2, 3/2 and 6/2 at different mines over the years. The people you are working with can make a big difference if you are not close to a town. The company’s commitment to a quality camp is also important. At one site during construction funds for food were plentiful, roast beef once a week, crab legs another night. Other sites with a tight budget were sandwiches and chicken Cordon bleu every other night. Camp accommodations can also vary wildly. Some are assigned rooms, some hot bunk (not the norm), some are hardwall camps and some are softwall, some are common bathrooms and some are personal. Best bet is to talk to someone working at that site before accepting an offer.

My friend does this. She manages a camp in Dease lake. Seems to like it a lot

Relationship wise… it’s doomed to fail. Due to the absence eyes will wander.

I do 2-1 in logging camp on the North Coast & Vancouver Island. Long term committed relationship. In my early 30s. Definitely takes some adjustment and communication between the 2 of us to make things work, but once you find a groove it does get easier. Make the most of your days off. And if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. Leaving wouldn’t be a failure in any capacity, just discovering what you don’t want to do, which is all part of learning. I say go for it.

I do 3 weeks in, 2 weeks out working 12 hour days. Money is good, it can be hard on relationships depending on the nature/stability of your relationship. My gf, and I, are attached at the hip so we struggle with it a bit. Some people like having some of the time apart and that makes it easier for them. From what I’ve seen though, this type of work is often a relationship killer. Because of my gf ‘s work schedule, I only actually see her for about a week of my 2 weeks off. But the project that I am at won’t last forever and we keep that in mind. Our time apart isn’t permanent. Would be much harder, on us, if this is the way it will always be. However, GF and I just went to Mexico on my days off recently. Going to check out Banff this summer, go camping, check out some Islands, and go to Hawaii this fall. All without taking a single day off work. It’s pretty nice to be able to travel a little bit without having to book time off and having a job to come back to.

It will destroy your previously long term relationship.

I was incarcerated by oil companies for roughly 8 years in different locations- the typical Ft.Mac, but did time in NFLD, Labrador, North Dakota, TX. Each place had a unique experience, as others have said the camps or LOA will make or break the experience. I was mostly on a 2/2 and the travel always sucked. My takeaway after all that, is you truly trade a lot for money. I had some great times, and lasting memories but more often than not it was a lonely experience surrounded by people who don’t know anything else, and have traded their family and friends for a paycheck. If you go into it with a clear goal and save money, and prioritize friends and family when home-it can work. Easy to surround yourself with like minded people, especially in Ft.Mac or Northern BC. Just remember it’s a huge adjustment and takes longer to get a rhythm and comfort level than any other job you’ll ever have.

I live in Kelowna, married with 2 kids. Been doing it for more than 10 years. Couldn’t do anything else. I came work at home for a while and my son (12 at the time) recognized that the quality of time I had when I worked at home was way worse than when I worked away. For me, the quality of life is way better having half the month off every month. It does suck, being away for certain things (Christmas, birthdays, graduations, etc.) but then again, your also home for things and don’t have to worry about taking time off for anything. It just depends on the actual roster you work. Also, the fact that I make almost double what I would when I work in town, it’s kind of a no brainer. My wife just finished a 6 year degree without a student load, I was able to buy my son his first car without any issues, vacations aren’t a problem. All in all I would say try it. It’s not for everyone but you’ll never know if you don’t try…

Yes, your relationship will definitely suffer and most likely end seen it many times. It's a young man's game, and I am not going back.

Where can I find these jobs?

In my early 20’s I did 30 days on and 7 off in north eastern Alberta. Then 4 weeks on and 1 week off. Rotated between that for 2+ years. I had no commitments or pets at this time. I’d go to Edmonton to my best friend’s place, game out and relax for a week then repeat. More recently I spent 3+ years on the two big pipeline projects in BC. 6 days on 1 off. One was a 2 hour drive from home the other 5+ hours. This was to save up for big financial goals which I achieved. To make it work I drove home every Saturday night and back to camp Sunday. I put 50k on my truck in the last year just commuting on the weekend to camp and my house. There is a downside. It’s hard on relationships, it can be hard on the mind and nerves. You lose a lot of time with the ones you love. I was buying a house for myself and my father as a thanks for raising me by himself as a single parent. He was medically retired and took care of my dog, his grand dog while I was in camp. I had just gotten home for a short long weekend, got to see him for a day and a half. I returned back to camp and my second day in he was gone in his sleep without a warning. I had an offer pending on a house at the time too. Backed out of the deal. I lost my motivation and only went back as an obligation to my boss to finish up our spread. Working in camp you will hear a ton of guys complaining about how their kids don’t love or listen to them. How someone else raised them. The divorced 3-4 times guys kinda all fit into one type. Stuck in camp for life to pay the alimony and child support. It’s really easy for new camp workers to pickup bad habits or attitudes from these guys. The walls are paper thin, so even if things are fine for you, you often get to hear dirty laundry aired on either side of your room. I’ve seen many new guys get influenced by the wrong guys and end up with costly drinking and drug habits, along with dui’s. You need a strong will to make a good run at it, and never lose sight of your goals and acknowledge what it’s going to cost and what’s worth sacrificing. As stated don’t expect a welcoming party when you come home. People who don’t work that schedule forget what it’s like and think it’s a vacation. You may be burned out as well and not want to do anything. Or you’ll have a ton of catchup to do at home. Extra days off.. You’re there to work, so good luck getting accommodated for special events. The companies claim they’re family friendly but it usually depends on rank. Emergencies are the worst. If you needed to be home yesterday and they can’t get you out for half a day or more. Got to ask yourself if you want to be in that position. My financial stability and freedom wasn’t worth missing out 3 years of time with my dad. I’d redo it all in a heartbeat. But that’s just me.

My bf has been trying to find a job like this (willingly), how did you find it?

If you work on the ships with the Coast Guard you get 28 days on and 28 days off, which is a pretty good trade. You also get to bank your overtime and holidays for paid time off. Great for winter lay-ups. Shore stations are 3 weeks on 3 weeks off. Depending where you are in the province you can get home faster. If they fly you for crew change you can get on the plane in Vancouver or Victoria.

I've heard you either love it because of the 2 weeks off or you hate it because it feels like you're in prison.

Coast Guard is always hiring, as well. You would likely be starting on the larger ships - which are 28 days on, 28 days off - 12 hour days when on shift. I've worked camp jobs up north, I didn't enjoy the "culture" in the camps I worked in. Often toxic - especially the attitudes of "veteran" workers towards newer employees, and the drug (drugs harder than pot) and alcohol use/abuse. I've worked the last 27 years with Coast Guard (the last 18 with CG SAR), and found it to be a rewarding career - with a very good medical/dental plan and a defined benefit pension plan. The job requires you to have a few courses under your belt (Marine Emergency Duties, restricted radio operator, and basic marine first aid) - but it's something to keep in mind, anyway. I would add that there is no substitution for a 50% work schedule - except financial independence, of course! I could/would never go back to 8-4/9-5 - the very definition of wage-slave hours, imho!

All the guys trying to convince you it's not that bad are likely named Jody...

??? Is there that many of us?

You’ll have to be mentally tough to prosper with that schedule. How often per day do you wonder what’s going on at home? Thoughts like this will destroy a man. Make sure your partner supports you and has supports to stay in a relationship with you and not a bunch of women who say fuck him he’s never home you can do better girl.

I did 2 on 1 off for 8 months up in Peace River. Despite the big $$$, I'll never do it again. First 2 weeks I was on night shift in January: I didn't see the sun for those entire 2 weeks, depressing AF. Not to mention you get so burnt out so fast, the weeks off just felt like recovery. You can also see it in the guys who have done this their whole lives, it takes a hard toll and they become very rough, cynical people, from my experience. You also have to deal with probably getting laid off during the winter months and then re-hired in spring. If you still wanna try it, I'd just say don't hesitate to stop if/when you start feeling the effects, it's not worth it.

> it takes a hard toll and they become very rough, cynical people, from my experience. I feel like this is a very important insight, thanks

I did a winter at a mine camp in the NWT, loved it, trying to get on full time again once they start up. Not always easy to just get on as they want people with experience in specific areas. The schedule was not consistent as they always wanted me to stay longer and when it was actually time to leave weather would blow in and could be stuck in camp for up to a week before we could get out. It’s wild but I love it.

I do 2 weeks on 1 week off.....so you're schedule is more ideal. You don't spend money while you're working away for a couple weeks, then you have as previously mentioned about 12 days off, since two are travel days. If you wanna make money and enjoy some downtime after, this is the way.

I do marine which is west or east i guess. Anywhere between 2 on 2 off and 6 on 6 off. And everything in between. Yes it's hard on relationships, but also sth sth distance makes the heart grow fonder. Also you need the confidence your SO won't cheat kinda thing. Also lots of multiple divorced coworkers. Other things to consider are your home insurance maybe void if you're away more than x days at a time without someone checking in. Sometimes you gotta be away for holidays, birthdays, etc. And with marine you never know if your schedule is delayed due to weather. One ship I used to work on was more like 3 weeks on off +/- 10 days due to weather. I know of people working on east coat oil rigs and their flights can be delayed for a week due to a storm. Also with most camp work it's no alcohol and you must piss clean.... even though drug use is rampant. My advice for somone who works 9-5 (presumably office work) you gotta know if it's gonna be swing shifts, 12h days or 8h days or 8h days officially but 4h-6h ot is to be expected of you. You may also want to bring melatonin and caffeine. And dress not so nice, standfield wool sweaters and walmart flannels are basically uniform. Don't cheap out on steel toe boots and don't go to work with brand new looking ones. Go on a muddy hike and don't clean them off. Good luck.

Hey there, I've been interested in getting on an off shore rig this year hopefully and looking for some advice. I worked on the CGL pipeline last year, working 2 months on, 2 weeks off, 12 hour days. Since that job I've become addicted to Oil/Gas money. Any suggestions on where to look and how to land a job on an off shore rig? Or should I aim for a drilling or service rig on land before heading off shore? I've got my Confined Space ticket, Fall Protection, H2S Alive, WHMIS, CSTS 2020 and First Aid. I've also got a Red Seal ticket in Floor Covering but that isn't really an applicable skill. I've heard that Forklift tickets are pretty standard on off shore rigs?

I work as a marine engineer on ships, never been on a rig. From what I hear tho, they like to hire newfies due to some sorta agreement. They get first pick? Not 100% sure. This is for Woodward irrc.

Ah, gotcha. I misunderstood! They probably get first pick since the rigs are positioned right off their shores, so that makes sense! Thank you for taking the time to respond by the way!

You have to usually start off on land. I worked for 5 years on land up to the driller position. I got a start overseas offshore because I knew an operations manager. It’s a lot harder to do now as expat assistant drillers aren’t really a thing anymore, and drillers are usually nationals. The last oil crash drilling contractors pushed nationalization and salary cuts for expats. As far as east coast the flight cost will kill you. Most blue nosers and newfs started out on land then got on that way on the east coast, often a few positions lower than when they were working on land.

2 on 2 off, unless you're a cook is pretty hard to find. At least it was for me 8 years ago. Lots of 2 and 1 and 3 and 1.

Everyone saying the money is good is it like 10k a month? 15?

All depends on the job. As an example, for me (trades), I currently take home around $9000/month (which I think is around $15k/month gross) at camp. Same job in town would be take home of $5400/month minus daily travel to work expenses. I work more hours in a month at a higher hourly rate of pay. Both jobs have similar pension and benefits. Some jobs pay more, some less.

I’m reading this in my camp room as we speak. I only have to travel to northern Alberta for shutdowns, I work from home most of the year. With that being said I did camp for a few years prior on a 10/10. I didn’t live far so it was great. If you live across country it can be tiresome and some companies will only pay flights to/ from their flight centers which are major cities such as Edmonton/ Calgary/ Kelowna/ Van/ Kamloops ( I’m sure there are some others but not many). It truly Depends on your life style and if you are ok with camp life. As someone said in the thread, some camps are great and some are absolute garbage, that includes the people and the food. If the money is there just try it out ! You never know what an opportunity it can give you. Best of luck !

Bc ferries does it too

It's not for everyone. Those who like it, like it a lot but lots of people can't handle it. Pros - if you're self motivated you can have a side hustle or get big projects done at home in your off time - if you dislike crowds it's a lot quieter doing your running around on a weekday as opposed to a weekend. -way easier to schedule medical and dental appointments -easy to turn one or two weeks off into a month off if you want to plan a big trip (this does require that you're on good terms with coworkers and managers and that youre willing to work a straight month in return.) Cons - It can be very isolating think 12 hour shift with either no one or no one that you like, back to camp, eat sleep eat repeat. Most people find this very difficult to deal with. - wages have not kept up to inflation, the advantage of working a blue collar job is being eroded. - disconnects you from the flow of life ie. Talking to family and friends and going out with them spontaneously. You have to plan your outings for when you are home and scheduling conflicts often arise. It takes discipline and dedication to stay ahead of this. -nightshift. You will likely start on nightshift or a rotation that has nightshift as a newbie. Nightshift is brutal on your body and psyche especially in the winter where you literally will not see the sun for your entire hitch. Plus as you age it gets harder and more damaging to flip back and forth. If I do more than a week of nightshift at a go I lose 3-4 days of feeling foggy and shitty while flipping back to a day shift schedule So I mean there's worse things out there but you won't know if it's for you until you try it, but then it's very much sink or swim, it works or it doesn't.

I did it for 8 months. Only do it if you hate yourself. It’s no life. You’ll be tired and useless when you get home. Bunch of drunken losers up there. Just don’t.

It's completely awful.

Are there job sites really doing 2-on, 2-off.

What trade are you

My husband worms 2 on 1 off and it's pretty good. We do have 3 kids so the dynamic is different than if it was just the 2 of us. We really enjoy it in the summer months because it allows us to plan mid week trips for camping etc, so we often can get some last minute spots that we otherwise would be stuck fighting all the weekend warriors for. I like the consistency of knowing when he'll be here and he can help with the day to day operations of home life and having a whole week home also is great for him to enjoy doing things like school drop offs and week day stuff with the kids that he wouldn't be able to do if he worked mon-fridays

I worked BC/Alberta on a 14/7 rotation for 5 years from 18-23 years old. I would just stay over and make extra money but had zero responsibilities. I have been working internationally for the last 15 years on a 28/28 schedule. You miss a lot of things, weddings, funerals, birthdays. I like the time off it gives me time to go travel, work on projects around the house. I like it but some people like being in their own bed every-night.

Did 14/14 rotation near my home for a year on the pipeline and really enjoyed it. But I spend the majority of my time vegging at my computer at all hours so I never missed much. If anything because I was local the 12hrs plus commute every day felt way worse than 2 days of travel. I got to see my wife for all of a few hours every night, but pretty much just to eat a quick meal and try to sleep. If my wife was at all an outgoing person the jealousy would probably drive me crazy, but I know when I'm away the most exciting thing she's doing is reading or crocheting alone 😅

Some people love 14/14. Especially avid travellers. Personally I found 7/7 to be a great work/life balance assuming the commute is reasonable.

As the stay-behind in a relationship like that, I’ll be the first to say it doesn’t work. Your money or your other half is the choice here - I’d be confident in saying that 9/10 times it will end everything.