The first trainees to successfully complete a new national course designed to re-skill experienced technicians and fill recruitment gaps in the oil and gas industry have received their qualifications at an awards ceremony at the Scottish Parliament.
Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning Keith Brown presented nine trainees with their certificates during an evening reception hosted by John Park MSP on March 10th. The event was attended by an invited audience of around 50 MSPs, industry representatives and government officials.
The 16-week pilot Transformation Training course offers a fast-track avenue for skilled workers with an established knowledge base and experience of other industries to switch to oil and gas where there is a long-term need for core crew technicians.
Following last night's presentation, the trainees are now ready to enter the employment market.
The course was developed by OPITO - The Oil & Gas Academy in response to the industry's need for a reliable stream of competent technicians to offset increased demand, natural attrition and redeployment outside the UK Continental Shelf, due to the longevity and global nature of the industry.
The trainees completed the Mechanical course at Forth Valley College, one of four OPITO-approved, quality assured training colleges in the UK. Providing a mix of integrated classroom and workshop based learning including access to live hydrocarbon plant at the INEOS refinery in Grangemouth, the programme is supported by Job Centre Plus, the Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland through the PACE funding initiative.
Keith Brown said: 'This programme is an excellent example of industry, education and government working together to everyone's benefit. Productivity will increase thanks to an increase in skilled workers and opportunities will be provided for people who have been made redundant as a result of the recession.
'Skills are high on the Scottish Government's agenda. We recognise the clear link between a highly skilled, well-motivated workforce and a strong Scottish economy. It is also clear that Scotland has distinctive needs which require a focused Scottish approach to skills development.
'A prime example of this is the oil and gas industry which will, notwithstanding uncertainties such as the scale of future reserves and discoveries, prices and costs, remain a vital part of the Scottish economy over the coming decades.'
The production of oil and gas supports almost half a million jobs in the UK, with 380,000 involved in extraction from the waters around the UK and up to another 100,000 involved in the export of oilfield goods and services.
OPITO - The Oil & Gas Academy is the UK offshore oil and gas industry's focal point for skills, learning and workforce development. Group chief executive David Doig said:
'This partnership is a great example of industry, education and government working together, supporting more effective utilisation and retention of skills which may otherwise be lost.
'The role of the Academy is to ensure that we have a wave of people moving into the industry to offset losses generated by the global opportunities it offers. With 67,000 Scots being made redundant in the last year as a result of the recession - and many of those from skilled trades - this model is an efficient way to neatly transfer skills from an area of decline in the economy into an area of growth.'
The OPITO certificates will give employers a clear understanding of the skills and knowledge that the participants have gained. This will enable further workplace development to be focused and targeted. All trainees' qualifications will be loaded onto the industry-wide Vantage database which allows potential employers to access their training records.
At the end of the programme, the Academy hosted an event which enabled key industry employers to meet with the trainees, gain a clear understanding of the training programme, its content, the learning and assessment process and gauge the experiences of the participants and lecturing staff.
Four courses in total have been developed covering the key oil and gas industry disciplines of Electrical, Instrumentation, Process and Mechanical. Other disciplines will be developed against proven needs of employers.
Dr Wendy Livingstone, Associate Principal for Business & Innovation at Forth Valley College said: 'We have been delighted to deliver the training for this highly innovative re-skilling programme. It is an excellent model which we believe has equipped the students with the skills to find employment within the oil and gas industry.'
OilVoice Headlines
Receive OilVoice headlines in your inbox
every day
or once a week. 25,000 other Oil and Gas professionals do.
You may unsubscribe at any time.
|