if in SA then I'd be looking to get a start up at Roxby Downs. Look up enginneering businesses up that way & call them and ask who the larger mineral drilling companies are out at Roxby, then call them direct.
Bypass those bloody blood sucking sponge agencies. They add absolutely no value at all, they dont train people, they'll only tell you to go get tickets (at your expense) then line you up with shit work, take a large slice out from your payslip and then your on your own when the going gets tough!
If it was me in the chair I'd outlaw the pricks and mandate direct hiring and put some security back into the workforce.
I'll add a bit more while I'm on about bloody agencies. Its fact a business cant survive in most countries, Australia included unless they have a GP of at least 28%, anything less they WILL go under. The only revenue stream any agency has is via your payslip, yes thats right, your wage drops when going via agencies and you get zero sick pay, you get zero holiday pay, you get zero public holidays, you get zero long service, yep you get shafted! All so some fat assed clown who has never worked in the field themselves tells you what you need to be doing.
A one man agency needs only 4~5 people full-time on the books and they generate >100k pa, a feasible one man business. Their outgoings are insurance, rent and utilities. There are only 2 reasons companies use agencies, 1/ it streamlines their headcount invoicing and 2/ it creates a dynamic workforce that they can severe at the drop of a hat with zero bottom line impact. If the agency has no other work, your out the door and on ya own, adios!
If we got rid of agencies and took this portion of wage you were giving them but mandated it only be used for mortgages, I wonder if we'd have a first home buyers issue like we do and or such a disposable workforce that banks should not be lending money too. Sure this means businesses need to re-think their hiring strategy and not be so "fly by night" when it comes to hiring. I know which way I'd prefer to see the workforce go.
I'll finish off by adding this, read the fine print of an agencies contract. They have a spotters clause. This means, if the agency supplies a hand that the client wants to hire directly full-time, the client must pay the agency a spotting fee. In my case, this was going to cost my current employer over $50K. Its enough to deter most companies from hiring directly and continue to use the hand via the agency. Where does this leave the employee and what does it do for their future career?
Be smart about it. Offer to work for a wage that sits between what the company was paying the agency and what the agency was willing to pay you. Price the a-hole agencies out of business.
Lastly.. how the hell can Australia's unemployment rate be so low when there is absolutly no security in working for an agency? As I said earlier, you get zero holiday pay, sick leave, long service ect... yet they call this working. Politicians love agencies!
Also I can tell you the last thing you want to be doing is dealing with bloody airports and motels all the time so why travel to WA when there's Roxby. Also try up at Moomba, same thing.. look up businesses that have an office up there.
I've been in the game for over 35 years, I've seen it all globally and can tell you its not for everyone, but be smart about it and make it work for you - it can be a fantastic lifestyle. I've never worked those rubbish hitches like 2:1 3:1 4:1 (work, off). I've only ever worked even time... what ever you work you then have off. If you like the job, use the money to get a degree and grow your career. Leave the flash cars and toys until your established and have a real disposable income.
Good luck!