Posted on 06/02/2012 11:23:05 AM PDT by thackney
The offshore drilling industry is struggling to find younger labor as its workforce ages. Companies are finding that a lack of skilled job candidates isn't their only problem. Many applicants are washing out due to drug use.
Ask Hercules Offshore CEO John Rynd why it’s so hard to find skilled workers for offshore drilling and he’ll talk about hefty competition from shore-based employers.
There’s a big demand for workers on land-based wells, thanks to the hydraulic fracturing revolution. The rise of auto manufacturing along the Gulf Coast means workers that traditionally formed part of the offshore labor pool are now able to find jobs closer to home.
But then, Rynd says, there’s the drug problem.
“We have about a 30% attrition just alone on the drugs, not passing the drug test. We cannot afford to allow anybody under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs to board one of our vessels.”
Rynd says it’s common for job applicants to show up with drugs in their system even though they’re warned in advance that drug screening is part of the application process.
Hey, a person has to get "up" for interview ya'know.
All is going according to plan...
When you create an “anything goes” culture that screams “if it feels good, do it” at the young (and young means anything up to about 60 these days—just look at all the Low-T commercials on TV), it shouldn’t come as a surprise when they actually “do it”.
Then, you create zero tolerance rules for everything from drugs to drinking to sexual harassment to fighting in the parking lot. This keeps millions out of the good-paying jobs that a person with a HS diploma can do, so you have to import labor from foreign countries and pay them less money than the Americans.
The Americans go on welfare, and vote Democrat to preserve their freebies and eventually you get socialism...or worse.
The problem isn’t the employers who want to hire drug-free employees for good paying jobs. It is the culture that teaches children that they are the center of the universe and no one has the right to “be judgin’ them” (which means that no one can tell them that they are doing something wrong).
I just took a drug test this morning for a new job!
We used to joke about studying the night before for our employment pee test.
Was the test to see if you were too high to hit the cup or for what drugs they found in it? ;-)
LOL!
This has been a problem for years. I worked at a state unemployment office from 1988 to 2000. About 40% of the job-seekers we sent to employers would fail the drug test. My clients, military veterans, had a much lower failure rate, less than 10% or so.
And it is not confined to just the blue collar worker workforce either. Front end engineering firms are running into the same situation. Its been as high as 8 out of 10 potential new hires fresh out of college CANNOT pass a per-employment drug screen test. IF either one, or both, of the remaining two candidates shows any sign of “work ethic” at all (ie: come to work on time and try to learn/do the job), they hired immediately even if they’re “not the sharpest tools in the shed”.
Nope, Delta. After 3 years, I’m back in my field!
Congratulations!
“Rynd says it’s common for job applicants to show up with drugs in their system even though they’re warned in advance that drug screening is part of the application process.”
As a former Manager for several major corporations I’ve often marveled at the head shakin’ audacity of druggies showing up for employment screening screwed up on drugs, or obviously incapable of passing a drug test at all.
The druggies know they won’t qualify for the job offshore, or much of anywhere actually, but they qualify for Federal/State welfare if they show they are attempting to find a job.
We need to legislate drug testing throughout the entire taxpayer supported welfare system before anybody could qualify to receive benefits.
I for one would be happy to see the welfare system be disposed of, but good luck with that.
Now if the voters would only demand that candidates running for office be required to take a “wiz quiz” before they are allowed to go to Washington. Then, we’d be getting somewhere.
‘Oil Patch Trash’ has always taken the leed when it comes to substance abuse. The 12X7 week and workplace pressure and dangers ain’t gota thin ta do wit it.
Sounds like my loser sister-in-law. She whines that nobody will give her a job because she can’t pass a drug test. She smokes pot to ease the stress of not having a job.
In most jobs it wouldn’t be a big issue if someone smoked a little pot in their off duty hours but its a big risk to take in a job like that.
Yep, and the drug runners love 0.
I’ve had my wilder days. I’m ashamed to admit, the only pre-employment drug screening I ever had, I failed. They hired me anyway. Creative types are usually given a certain amount of leeway.
No one should be toking on the job or report to work buzzing, period.
The Australians saw the absurdity in these tests and now employees are give a saliva test which shows “within 12 hours”. The Australians have not had any rash of drug related industrial accidents since this was institute. Just goes to show all the tests we use is more a money maker for the test makers.
I’m fine with long term tests for oil rig workers, over the road drivers, pilots etc. People who don’t like it can look for work elsewhere.
Its a little different for a guy who works in an office or does a job in a fairly safe environment. Hell as a paint room foreman, money to buy pot was a prime motivator for many of my painters to come to work. It didn’t bother me a bit but as foreman, the responsibility of the job drove me to quit.
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