Oilfield ups and downs stressing him out

His quality assurance/quality control work was physically demanding, and it required strong math skills.

“I’ve been working in the oilfields since ’85, but I just recently got laid off. I was a QA/QC manager for drill pipe, and I was very good at it.

“There are thousands of people in the Houston area, throughout Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico who are out of jobs because oil prices plummeted. Layoffs and the fear of layoffs affect more than just the worker, though. It impacts the whole family.

“It’s been a major stress for me. Mentally and physically, this just isn’t worth it anymore. I’m tired of all the ups and downs. I think it’s time to get out of the oilfield and try something else.”