OilVoice - PSN Achieve OPITO Approval of Their Competence Management System

PSN Achieve OPITO Approval of Their Competence Management System

Monday, May 04, 2009

OPITO – The Oil & Gas Academy continues to lead the way in training and safety standards within the oil and gas industry with a new approval.

Specialist global provider of energy engineering, operations and maintenance services PSN has gained approval of their learning and competence management system. PSN has created over 2,500 new jobs since May 2006 and has one of the highest employee retention rates in the industry retaining around 99.3% employees each month. PSN are committed to the training and development of a safe and competent workforce and this achievement of employee engagement takes place in an intensely competitive recruitment market with global skills shortage.

The alignment of its training and assessment systems to meet the Academy’s approval criteria demonstrated that PSN complies with internationally recognised standards of best practice. The Academy’s approval ensures PSN’s employees are fully assessed on their capability to consistently perform their job roles to a clearly defined standard of performance.

Peter Brown, managing director UK, is responsible for the health and safety, and profit and loss in PSN's northern Europe business. He said: “Achieving an incident-free workplace by raising the level of health, safety and environmental accountability at all levels in the workforce is one of my driving goals.

"I started in this industry as an apprentice so understand the importance of rigorous training and ongoing learning. PSN has 'walked the talk' by investing in a new generation of engineers through our innovative design academy, graduate schemes and career conversion programme Re-engineer.

“OPITO Approval is a fitting seal of approval from the industry recognising our ongoing commitment to create a sustainable, safe, skilled workforce for the future."

In order to achieve approval, the company underwent a series of comprehensive desk-top and site audits designed to challenge their ability to consistently manage the training and assessment process to a high standard.

Academy chief executive David Doig said: “Having a competence management system approved to internationally accepted standards results in benefits for both the companies themselves and the industry as a whole.

“From the organisation’s point of view, approval ensures that personnel become highly motivated, have the required knowledge, skills and attitude to operate and maintain safely all facilities with a high degree of competency, thus improving overall productivity and workforce satisfaction.

“By striving to deliver the same high quality standards and training delivery, companies help raise the bar for the offshore oil and gas industry around the world.”