I’m an Electrician by trade, mainly light industrial/heavy commercial and, as I’m sure you’ve all seen on the news, things are pretty dire in the UK.
My current job is pretty pants and I’m borderline to not being able to function fiscally with a reduced rate and hours. I’ve spent alot of time trying to find more/new work to no avail - people dont even want hobbles done at the moment.
Soooo i got an email off a US company called KBR, apparently they got my details from an agency i signed up to many moons ago and they are looking for people to work under the LOGCAP programme in Iraq and Afghanistan. Initially I dismissed the idea but its starting to look more viable.
The remuneration is, frankly, massive! Be looking at the best part of $100k for 300days and if i’m correct tax free. Now thats the sort of cash i’d never be able to earn here!
So…
I’m kinda thinking go do it for 2-3 years and come back to a mortgage free life.
But its got its risks, and i dont expect it’ll be very nice either but for 2 years out means i never have to pay a mortgage kinda makes it very appealing.
I’m in no hurry to make a decision, these jobs are ongoing and the posts are reasonably plentiful it appears.
It’s always tempting when the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence. My brother-in-law runs a company that does security in both Iraq and Afghanistan as well as Africa and S America - ports, airfields and oil pipelines etc., and will only employ ex special services providing they meet certain criteria… ie, minimum service to name but one. The pay is collossal as is the danger faced on a day-to-day basis and he has lost quite a few “employees” over the last few years and reckons it is getting worse.
I spent 4 years in Kuwait and enjoyed it until Saddam crossed the line, a further 2.5 years in Saudi and hated every minute I was there. All this took place before the real troubles began - late 70’s early 80’s and I spoke a fair bit of Arabic.
Given the present circumstances in both Iraq and Afghanistan, my advice would be - forget it… unless A/- You like living dangerously - being shot at, bombed or (kidnapped - how the poor get rich = a way of life even before things got all hot and bothered), B/- you like living like a prisoner in a guarded compound and, C/- think you can take the heat 24/7 from all of the above long enough to make it worthwhile?
Sorry to be so negative, but given the present climate in both these countries, I personally would look elsewhere for work. Money is nice to have, provided you have the health and live long enough to spend it.
I spent 4 months in Basra in 2006 workin on the same camp as the KBR lot, seemed to be always busy, but they had their own facilities in their section of the camp. Most of them seemed to like it ok.
In all honest I’m not 100% what I am looking for right now.
Future stability is up there for sure. I’m 34 and been made redundant twice, retrained twice and its looking likely again and each time my own little world comes crashing down so I guess I’m looking for something that will either prevent the redundancy thing (though i’d got it this time with a solid trade!) or that will lessen the personal ‘crash’ should it happen.
I know all this sounds a bit selfish and I’m likely a hell of alot better off than most in the world!
