“I’ve Been Made Redundant from an Offshore Staff Role – What Are My Options?”

Being made redundant from a permanent offshore role is disruptive and unsettling, especially when it’s a career you’ve built over years, sometimes decades. However, redundancy doesn’t have to mean leaving the industry behind. 

We’ve seen this cycle before. Back in 2015/16, when the offshore market dropped, a lot of permanent headcount was cut across the industry, meaning many good people with genuine experience found themselves without enough work. For those who’d spent their careers in staff roles, moving straight into offshore freelancing wasn’t straightforward, it meant taking on unfamiliar rates, rotation patterns, and compliance requirements all at once, often with little support. Unfortunately, many people with experience left the sector altogether, and when the market recovered, it needed those people and they weren’t there. 

What we’re seeing today, after a difficult offshore season and continued uncertainty going into winter, looks a lot like that same pattern. We don’t want to see a repeat of before, so if you’ve spent your career on the staff side and are being faced with redundancy, this article walks through the main options available to you, and the practical steps worth taking next. 

 

Why Redundancies Happen in This Industry 

Offshore work is, by nature, project based. Contracts are tied to specific developments, and when a project ends, is delayed, or is scaled back, staffing needs change with it. Right now, that pattern is being felt more acutely than usual, with rising uncertainty in the market causing delays and cancellations to a number of planned projects. 

On top of that, the sector remains highly sensitive to market fluctuations, oil and gas prices, the pace of offshore wind development, and wider geopolitical shifts affecting energy demand and investment all play a part in shaping where and when work is available. 

It’s worth saying clearly: redundancy in this industry is very rarely about individual performance. It’s a reflection of market conditions, not your capability or value as a professional. Try not to let it knock your confidence, this is an industry-wide pattern, and one that many experienced offshore professionals have navigated before you. 

 

What Are Your Options? 

 

Move Into Freelance Work 

If you’ve spent your career in a permanent staff role, freelancing can feel like a big step into the unknown. However, plenty of people who’ve made the move started exactly where you are now; with strong offshore experience but no history of freelancing. 

What’s typically needed to make the switch: 

• A track record of relevant offshore experience – which staff roles help to provide 

• Up-to-date certifications (offshore survival, medical, and role-specific qualifications) 

• The right compliance documents in place (right to work, insurance, etc.) 

• A recruitment partner who genuinely understands the sector and can talk you through what’s different about freelance work, not just match you to a role 

 

Consider an Onshore or Remote Route 

Something else worth considering, and often overlooked, is an onshore or remote role. This can help keep you in the industry during difficult periods, whether that’s redundancy or quieter months like winter. 

There’s growing demand for onshore survey work and remote / ROC (remote operations centre) positions – roles that let you keep building relevant experience on your CV. For someone recently made redundant from a staff role, this route can offer: 

• Continuity of work, with less of a financial cliff-edge from suddenly being out of pocket 

• Exposure to newer operating models that are becoming a bigger part of the industry 

• A more gradual, structured route into freelancing, rather than an abrupt one 

• A realistic path to opening more opportunities later on – whether that be permanent or freelance roles 

It’s certainly an option worth considering. 

 

Upskill or Diversify 

Redundancy can also be a natural point to broaden your skill set. Additional certifications or cross-training, whether that’s moving between disciplines within your existing field or branching into adjacent sectors like offshore wind from oil & gas, can open up new types of projects and reduce your exposure to future redundancy by making you employable across a wider range of work. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean retraining from scratch. Often, it’s a case of building on experience you already have and applying it in a new context. 

 

Take Time to Reassess Career Direction 

For some, redundancy offers a natural pause point to think about where you want your career to go next. That might mean revisiting long-term goals, considering different international opportunities, or reassessing the balance between offshore and onshore work. It’s not a step everyone needs to take, but if you’ve been meaning to reconsider your direction for a while, this can be a practical moment to do it. 

 

What You’ll Need to Know 

If you’re moving from a permanent role to a freelance role then there are a few things worth understanding before you make a move: 

• Rates and rotations – freelance rates and rotation patterns can look quite different from what you’re used to as staff, and it takes some adjustment. Day rates are typically higher than an equivalent staff salary works out to, but income isn’t guaranteed between contracts the way a salary is, and rotations are negotiated project by project rather than fixed. Understanding this trade-off up front makes the transition much less of a shock. 

• Sole Trader / Limited Company / Payroll options – as a permanent employee, how you’re paid is usually taken care of for you. As a freelancer, one of the first practical decisions you’ll need to make is how you’ll operate and get paid for your work. Depending on your circumstances, you might work as a sole trader, set up your own limited company, or be paid through a payroll company. Each option works differently and comes with its own practical and tax considerations, so it’s worth understanding what’s involved before deciding.  

• Documentation and compliance – it’s important to understand what documentation and certifications you’ll need to be ready to work, particularly as requirements can vary depending on the region and type of project.  

• Training or certificates that might improve your prospects – beyond keeping your existing qualifications current, certain roles, projects or regions may call for additional training or certifications. A specialist recruiter like Precise Consultants can advise you on what clients are currently looking for and which additional qualifications could help open up more opportunities. 

• What clients look for when taking someone into their first freelance role – clients want to see relevant, recent experience and the right documentation in place, but they also understand that everyone starts somewhere. A strong track record in a permanent role counts for a lot, even without prior freelance history. 

 

Practical Next Steps Checklist 

Whichever direction you’re leaning toward, a few practical steps will put you in a stronger position: 

• Keep your CV and certifications up to date. Candidates who can start immediately are consistently prioritised, so make sure your survival training, medical certificate, and other qualifications aren’t close to expiring. 

• Register with specialist recruiters. Agencies like Precise Consultants can advise on current demand areas (including offshore, onshore and remote opportunities), so you’re not searching blind. 

• Review your finances. Budget for any potential gap between roles, particularly if you’re weighing up freelance work, where income can be less predictable in the short term than a permanent salary. 

• Consider where you can be flexible. Your next role doesn’t necessarily have to look exactly like your last one. Being open to a different region, project type, contract arrangement or an onshore or remote position could broaden the opportunities available to you. 

• Be clear about your availability. If you’re approaching the end of your current role, let recruiters know when you’ll be available, where you’re willing to work and whether you’d consider permanent, freelance, onshore, offshore or remote opportunities. The more they know, the easier it is to match you with suitable work. 

• Start conversations early. You don’t need to wait until you’ve officially left your current role. If redundancy is a possibility, speaking to recruiters early can help you understand the market, identify anything you need to get in place and be ready to move when the right opportunity comes up. 

 

Conclusion 

Redundancy from a permanent role is never easy, but in an industry as specialised as offshore energy, it does not have to mean the end of your career. Whether that’s moving into freelance work for the first time, taking an onshore or remote role as a stepping stone, diversifying your skill set, or reassessing your direction, there are many paths forward. 

At Precise Consultants, we’ve supported people through this exact transition before, including many moving from staff to freelance for the first time. We’d rather help good people stay in this industry than see that experience leave it. If your role has been affected (or you think it might be) then talk to us. We can walk you through your options, including opportunities you might have not considered yet. Or even if just want some advice, we would be more than happy to help.