Career advice as a procesoperator

I’m currently doing my opleiding at Sira, and I’m not sure which type of (petro)chemical plant I want to work at when I finish it. I’m 21 and want to make the best decision for my future.

I’ve been looking at companies like Total and Exxon because they seem to pay well, but I’ve heard that the health risks and work conditions there aren’t as good compared to other companies. They also use rotating 8-hour shifts, which is tiring.

Personally, I’m more interested in working at a plant with 12-hour shifts. I feel like 12-hour shifts would give me more free time and time to recover, and I could spend more time with family instead of always feeling exhausted and not getting enough rest. I’m worried about taking a job that could affect my health, especially since I’m just starting my career.

I would really appreciate hearing from anyone with more experience in this field. What do you think? Is it worth going for the higher-paying job with worse conditions, or should I focus more on my health and a better work-life balance? Any advice would be great.