..get a big company to take me on for a work placement?

[Derry]

waheyyy, pushin the boat out, me!

ive decided to go to uni next year to do a 3 or 4 year Geology degree. since im no longer at college, i thought that if i could get a placement with an oil exploration company, or mudlogging.. something which will involve geology/geologists.. then itll help a) my application to uni, and b) my chances of being accepted as i wouldve done something relevant and useful, as opposed to bumming the next year in a 15 hour-a-week cleaning job

so what i want is a 4-8 week placement somewhere in the UK.. as close to birmz as poss.. so that i can get constructive experience/information/etc in something geology based. initially i was ganna go for oil exploration & exploitation, but i was talking to the bloke at the uni (cause its where i work) and he said to also go for mudlogging, sample collecting etc, as they also use geologists.

ive got a basic letter, and im in the process of revamping my CV to make it more specific to geology instead of whatever it is now... just wondering if anyones got any tips etc to help me secure a place somewhere? ideally id like it to be paid, but if it involves me moving away from home then id like at least accomodation paid for me

too much to ask? gah.

[Thomzo]

Does it have to be a big company? I don't know your industry at all but many big industries are supported by loads of smaller companies.

I suggest you research the industry really well and just find as many companies as you can. Then just blitz them with the letters and follow up with a phone call to their personnel department.

Alternatively, do any recruitment agencies cover your field? In my line, almost all recruitment is done through the agencies. Try looking on one of the recruitment websites (monster or totaljobs) to see which agencies are recruiting for any roles in the industry you are looking at, even if they don't have suitable placements, they will have the contacts to get you in.

Good luck
Zoe

p.s. I hope your letter is better typed than your post?

[Derry]

haha, yes its typed better.. it actually has punctuation in the proper places ;)

pretty much all the sites ive been on to get addresses/contact info have all said 'no agencies' so i think thats a non-starter. ive got about 20 places so far, and im drafting letters so theyre specific to each company, as opposed to a generic letter thatll be sent everywhere

[healer]

I'm 18 years out of it but have you thought of "Roustabout" or "Roughneck" in the oil/drilling industry? I can't see that that type of work has ended - if you are fit and "daft" enough! You definately will get experience!

[StripyPixieSocks]

I'm 18 years out of it but have you thought of "Roustabout" or "Roughneck" in the oil/drilling industry? I can't see that that type of work has ended - if you are fit and "daft" enough! You definately will get experience!

I was going to suggest that as I have a friend who's works for KCA Dautag out on the North Sea Rigs... definitely alot of geology knowledge needed for that!

[Derry]

oooohh, ill look into them, thankye!