The Most In-Demand Skilled Trades for Offshore Jobs in 2026

Why Skilled Trades Are Growing in 2026

Energy, Oil, and Gas projects in 2026 and beyond are continuing across onshore and offshore operations. While they face many hurdles even before they reach operation (such as governmental policies, decarbonisation, environmental concerns, spiralling costs, etc.), one of the biggest threats is the shortage of skilled tradespeople to help build, operate, and maintain these critical projects.

At every stage of an oil and gas or energy project, qualified tradespeople recruitment is essential to getting these projects off the ground. Electricians, welders, pipefitters, riggers, and fabricators are needed for new project builds, planned and unplanned maintenance, shutdowns, and offshore engineering during operations.

As an oil and gas recruitment agency for nearly 40 years, we’ve seen the peaks and troughs within the industry, and what roles fall in and out of favour. We have noticed that the demand for skilled trades jobs from our clients has remained constant over the years.

In this blog, we’ll look at the most common skilled trades roles that keep coming up from hiring teams, what clients are looking for in particular, and how to make yourself stand out more and extend your oil and gas career.

The Most In-Demand Skilled Trades Roles for 2026

In oil and gas recruitment, there is a wide range of key technical labour jobs that are always in demand for hiring teams and offshore recruitment agencies. The roles are typically offshore engineering jobs and onshore plant work. If you are looking to become an oil and gas skilled trades engineer or are looking to continue your career, onshore and offshore, jobs are still readily available.

We see a lot of qualified tradespeople come through our doors, and the most popular can be broken down into four categories:

• Welders and Fabricators
•  Electricians
• Pipefitters
• Riggers and Mechanical Trades

We’ll break these down into what duties they typically carry out and why they are in demand:

Welders and Fabricators

Welders and fabricators in oil and gas are responsible for cutting, shaping, and joining metal to build and repair structures such as platforms, modules, pressure vessels, and pipelines. Their work underpins the structural integrity of critical equipment, helping to prevent failures, unplanned shutdowns, and significant safety or environmental incidents.

Electricians

Electricians in oil and gas install, maintain, and troubleshoot electrical power and control systems that run everything from drilling rigs and pumps to safety and shutdown systems. They are vital for keeping operations safe and reliable in hazardous areas, ensuring equipment is compliant, correctly protected, and capable of shutting down safely in an emergency.

Pipefitters

Pipefitters are responsible for assembling, installing, and testing pipework systems that carry oil, gas, chemicals, steam, and utilities around a facility. Accurate pipe routing, jointing, and support by pipefitters is essential to prevent leaks, withstand pressure and temperature, and keep production flowing without costly downtime.

Riggers and Mechanical trades

Riggers and mechanical trades workers handle the lifting, moving, installation, and alignment of heavy equipment like compressors, pumps, turbines, and modules. Their expertise in safe lifting operations and precise mechanical assembly is key to preventing accidents during construction and maintenance, and to ensuring rotating equipment runs efficiently and reliably throughout the life of the project.

While similar roles are found across all other industries and the public sector, oil and gas and offshore skilled trades roles require experience and training before being taken on.

For instance, entry-level electricians without prior work experience are unlikely to be hired, as we’ve found that companies prefer experienced professionals for their high-value equipment. Key requirements include experience, a strong safety mindset, and completion of mandatory training, such as the Basic Offshore Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET) course. 

What Employers Expect From Skilled Trades in 2025

As stated above, your normally skilled trade professional, such as an electrician, plumber, or welder, may not have opportunities in oil and gas engineering due to a lack of the necessary experience. Another key point is that they aren’t ready for the often harsh environments, rotations, or the availability of the roles. If you’re used to the normal 9-5, working in cover or warm environments, and routine, then working offshore may not be for you.

If you are experienced, to increase your chances of being selected, here’s a list of what our clients are specifically looking for from skilled professionals:

Readiness and Availability

For offshore and onshore work, availability and reliability are key attributes that clients notice first. If you’re flexible, have a good record for reliability (being on time, completing work on time, being able to work as and when required for planned and unplanned work, and possessing a strong awareness of safety), you will put yourself in good standing.

Certification

Being able to carry out your work and do it well is fine and well, but having the necessary up-to-date certificates and trade qualifications to do the job is an absolute must.

Documentation

As well as having the proper certifications to do the work, you’ll also require the correct documentation to ensure you can work. In offshore and onshore work, you’ll often be located abroad, so make sure your mobilisation documents (passport, visas, etc.) are current, as well as documenting your most recent work history.

Employers favour skilled trades candidates who are prepared and reliable for both Offshore Jobs and Onshore recruitment. While all of the above points sound practical and straightforward, you’ll be surprised by the number of instances we see where even simple things are often overlooked.

How to Secure Offshore Work Quickly

To get hired fast by clients, it’s essential to be prepared, first and foremost, in key areas. To improve your chances, you should focus on three key areas clients value most:

• Reliability: Being flexible, reliable, punctual, and safety‑conscious.
• Certification: Holding all necessary and up‑to‑date trade qualifications and safety certifications.
• Documentation: Having current passports, visas, and detailed work histories ready for mobilisation.
• Mobilisation: Be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
• Experience: Last, but probably the most important, clearly demonstrate that you can carry out the required tasks.

Employers prefer skilled trades candidates who are well‑prepared and reliable, even though many still overlook these basic but crucial requirements.

How Orion Supports Skilled Trades Across Offshore Jobs

Orion Group are specialists in sourcing skilled trades personnel for both local and international roles in a wide range of industry sectors, including Oil & Gas, Renewables, Marine, Shipbuilding, Construction, Petrochemical, Fabrication, and Manufacturing, for both onshore and offshore positions.

Orion has forged an enviable reputation for partnering with clients for more than 30 years to deliver high-volume supplies of skilled candidates, working in tandem with individual site agreements and meeting safety and security compliance requirements, as well as statutory obligations. Our Recruitment Teams can discuss your local requirements or assist with comprehensive international projects.

Where Orion Comes In

Flexibility and quick reaction timeframes are key in mobilising an effective workforce. 

Our Recruitment Teams can guide both clients and candidates through various support functions, including labour supply planning, guidance on market rates, pre-screening, qualification checking, security clearance, Disclosure/DBS processes, PPE requirements, travel arrangements/transport requirements, immigration support, and deployment advice. 

For more support or information, contact us through our website. 

FAQs:

Which Skilled trades roles are most in demand for Offshore Jobs?

We consistently see clients requiring candidates to work in the following roles:

• Welders
• Welders (pipe)
• Fabricators
• Pipefitters
• Mechanical fitters
• Hydraulic technicians
• Slingers

How Can Skilled Trades Workers Access Careers In Oil and Gas?

Skilled trades workers can start by targeting entry‑level field roles that match their trade, completing key safety/industry tickets, and applying directly to operators and specialist agencies that hire for rigs, plants, and projects.

Ensuring they have up-to-date certifications, documentation, and training is a must. 

Read more here about the UK government's national plan to recruit workers needed for the clean energy mission, with over 400,000 extra jobs by 2030. They outline how 31 priority occupations, such as plumbers, electricians, and welders, are particularly in demand. 

What Experience Helps Candidates Secure Offshore Engineering Jobs?

Relevant hands-on trade experience in areas such as welding, mechanical fitting, pipefitting, rigging, electrical work, or fabrication is one of the strongest ways candidates can secure offshore skilled trades roles, especially when gained in energy, marine, construction, or heavy industrial environments. 

Read our latest blog about having the right transferable skills for Offshore work here to support your search.

How Fast Can Skilled Trades Mobilise for Offshore Recruitment?

Skilled trades for offshore projects can mobilise in as little as 48–72 hours for pre-vetted contractors, but more typically take 1–4 weeks, depending on location, visa/compliance, and the level of proactivity in the hiring strategy. With strong pipelines and a specialist agency, the upper end of “normal” time-to-hire (4–8 weeks) can often be cut by half or more. 

Read our latest blog to understand why it may be getting harder to hire at speed here.

Does Orion Support Both Onshore Recruitment and Offshore Recruitment?

Orion has a long history of supporting both onshore and offshore recruitment across a wide variety of industry sectors. Learn more about everything we offer on our website.

How Does Trades Recruitment Support Oil and Gas?

Skilled trades are crucial to any oil and gas project as they are mandatory across the whole lifecycle of the project, from construction to operations and maintenance.