FocalPoint ISSUE 3

Modern Apprenticeship Celebrates 15 years

July 2014

Sinead Watson, one of the first intake of modern apprentices 15 years ago

Back in 1999, the oil and gas industry was facing its first type of shortfall; the need for young blood. The sector was becoming heavily loaded with older workers who had been the driving force behind one of the fastest growing industries in the world since oil was first pulled out of the North Sea in 1975. Oil and gas operators could see that these skilled and experienced technicians were reaching an age where they would soon want to retire but could not address where they would find suitable future engineers. Non-executive director of Wood Group, Michel Conti, was the then managing director of Total, and the driving force behind finding a solution. Together with the late Tom McIntosh, who was OPITO’s products and services team leader, they worked out a plan they hoped would help fill the looming gap. Along with the top brass in the UK from Mobil, Shell, Marathon and Elf, a steering group was formed and the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry Technician Training Scheme began to take shape. OPITO’s technical programme director, Gordon McNeil, said: “It was an exciting time for the industry, lots of new wells were being discovered and work was booming. But Michel and Tom had the foresight to think about where the next generation of workers would come from. “The first four companies who, with the help of OPITO and the ECITB, initiated the Modern Apprenticeship scheme could see the value in a programme where apprentices learn from classroom studies as well as gaining practical

experience from working alongside the experts on the job.” Ten young people were taken on in the first cohort of apprentices and Sinead Watson was one of them. She is now a global HSE performance analyst with TAQA. She was aged 18 and the only female on the very first intake of apprentices in 1999. “I didn’t know much about working offshore when I was at school – at that time careers advisers never pushed the oil and gas industry and I had no idea what it entailed,” she said. “For some people university is the way to go but doing the modern apprenticeship let me see the end game all the way. There’s no right or wrong way to get into the industry. This opportunity gave me the on-the-job experience I needed and I learned from the best. “After four years I had the skills and knowledge I needed to stand on my own two feet and I was able progress up the ranks.” The number of applicants has increased over the years and the MA scheme now takes on around 100 apprentices each year. “The merits and relevance of this MA programme is there for all to see. More than 1,400 young people have come through the programme with 99 percent still working in the oil and gas industry,” said Gordon. “They can see a great future for themselves with the sponsoring company.”

I didn’t know much about working offshore when I was at school – at that time careers advisers never pushed the oil and gas industry and I had no idea what it entailed, for some people university is the way to go, but doing the modern apprenticeship let me see the end game all the way.

The yearly Tom McIntosh Apprentice of the Year Award will be presented in November this year as part of National Oil & Gas Skills Week.

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Welcome The North Sea oil and gas industry has seen some major developments in the last six months, bringing changes in safety training for the offshore workforce and heralding some significant opportunities within the skills arena. One of the most important has been the creation of a new standard following the report by the Civil Aviation Authority into offshore helicopter operations. The desire from all sides of the industry to ensure the safety and welfare of the workforce has seen a tremendous level of collaboration across a wide number of partners and remains the driving force behind everything we do. As a result of the joint approach by industry and training providers, the standard has been delivered and training will get underway ahead of the EBA’s introduction on September 1st. While the issues raised in the CAA report have generated some negative perceptions about our industry, this year will also see some very positive action taken in relation to skills. We recently announced ambitious plans to stage a National Oil & Gas Skills

Week in November which we hope will pull people of all ages, backgrounds and sectors together to celebrate all that is good about our industry and promote the diverse career opportunities it offers. Collaboration is playing an important role in this project and I would urge companies to get involved in this exciting new take on the skills challenge and help make the Week a true reflection of the dynamic, successful industry we are. This fresh approach is extending across other aspects of our business. We have recently reinvigorated the OPITO website and will shortly be launching a new mobile application designed to increase offshore workers’ access to training records. Recent months have seen some very testing times for the sector, however I am encouraged by the level of cooperation and participation and look forward to this continuing in the future.

John McDonald Managing director

Clearing the MIST Minimum Industry Safety Training (MIST) is changing. OPITO has been working in partnership with a wide group of stakeholders including operators, contractors, marine organisations, trade unions, safety representatives and the Health & Safety Executive to review the content of the current standard. The updated MIST standard, which takes a broader approach to the safety agenda than the previous version, is currently awaiting approval with the roll-out expected to start in November. Driven by the industry’s commitment to continually improve safety, MIST was introduced in the UK in April 2009. Developed by Step Change in Safety and OPITO, its core purpose is to improve

The desire from all sides of the industry to ensure the safety and welfare of the workforce remains the driving force behind everything we do.

Helicopter Safety

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It provides a much better understanding of the bigger industry picture and really pushes the agenda on the fundamentals of process as well as personal safety. Critically, it also takes account of specific areas of concern that were raised by the workforce with regards to helicopter safety.

industry efficiency and standardise safety training across the UK Continental Shelf. The course to date has contained nine modules incorporating safety observation systems, use of hazardous substances, working at height and mechanical lifting activities. “Following extensive consultation and engagement with the industry and its partners, we have reshaped the content to take account of the wider regulatory framework within which it sits and also in response to direct areas of concern to the workforce,” said OPITO standards and approvals director Mark Neilson. “We have also used intelligence gleaned from the metrics of previous course participants to identify themes in terms of the areas people hadn’t understood or needed to revisit and used that to help shape the new standard.” MIST will now focus on five modules: • Major Accident Hazards • Workplace Hazards & Personal Safety • Risk Management • Control of Work • Helicopter Safety

“The new structure will ensure the workforce have a good understanding of the factors that govern the control of major accident hazards, the safety case offshore and process safety as well as personal accountability and the concept of risk assessment and techniques,” added Mark. “It provides a much better understanding of the bigger industry picture and really pushes the agenda on the fundamentals of process as well as personal safety. Critically, it also takes account of specific areas of concern that were raised by the workforce with regards to helicopter safety. “This module has been introduced to provide information on how the offshore helicopter industry is regulated, how this sector works and where passenger safety sits within it.” In addition to revisions to the content, OPITO has set up a training providers’ development group to look at reviewing the delivery model with a view to making it more engaging for new starts.

OPITO is taking a leading role in key changes that are underway with regards to offshore helicopter operations in the North Sea. Following the series of measures announced by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in February, the new Offshore Helicopter Safety Action Group, set up by the CAA, has been working to develop the recommendations and oversee their implementation. These included the introduction of seating restrictions on offshore flights as an interim measure until improved emergency breathing equipment is provided. Following significant collaboration by industry, the OPITO Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) Initial Deployment training programme has now been approved. Designed for personnel travelling to or from offshore installations and vessels via helicopter where a CA-EBS is provided for use in the case of an emergency ditching, the standard provides the

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offshore workforce with the knowledge and understanding of the hazards and properties of the system; and appropriate emergency response actions to take. The programme has been developed to address initial equipment introduction training requirements only and is designed to be delivered in a dry training environment. The manufacturer will supply training providers with the required equipment and training is expected to start in July. From the 1st of September 2014, all offshore workers in the UK travelling by helicopters supplied with a CA-EBS will require to have completed this training. Mark Neilson, director of standards and approvals at OPITO, said: “We are continuing to engage with critical industry stakeholders to assess and implement appropriate standards for

optimum health and safety practice following the recommendations in the Civil Aviation Authority report. “The safety and welfare of the offshore workforce is our primary concern. These changes and the Category A EBS is another step in the evolution of our industry.” In the short term, the introduction of new EBS will require upwards of 40,000 offshore workers across the UK to undergo retraining. OPITO is engaging with its partners to understand the challenges in targeting the mobile workforce as part of the roll-out. “These discussions dovetail in with the scheduled BOSIET review throughout 2014 and new standards will be developed and incorporated as appropriate throughout this process,” added Mark.

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National Oil & Gas Skills Week Unveiled The UK’s burgeoning oil and gas industry, which employs upwards of 440,000 people and contributes billions to the economy, has unveiled plans for a nationwide initiative drawing people of all ages and from all walks of life together to discover what the oil and gas industry offers them. National Oil & Gas Skills Week will see everything from science, engineering and maths, specialist workshops and careers sessions to debates, interactive challenges and much more take place across the UK with events in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen already confirmed.

We are looking for organisations engaged with the oil and gas industry across the UK – from operators and SMEs to education bodies, science centres, recruiters and trade associations – to get involved and help make National Oil & Gas Skills Week a success

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The Week is OPITO’s response to the need to attract thousands of new recruits to the sector over the next three years, with tens of thousands more needed in the long-term. “The UK oil and gas industry is a global success story, responsible for some of the most ground-breaking innovations and technologies the world has ever seen with the skills and expertise honed here in the North Sea exported around the globe,” said UK managing director John McDonald. “This is the first time, however, that the industry has ever looked to do something of this size and scale to showcase those achievements, to redress the misconception that working in oil and gas means working offshore and to highlight the fantastic career opportunities the sector offers a wide range of people. “The reality is that just 10% of jobs in the oil and gas industry are based offshore. We hope that through this large-scale event, we can help people understand where the opportunities are for them and help the industry engage with all those it needs to target to fill the skills gap now and in the future.”

National Oil & Gas Skills Week will see a jam-packed programme of events take place throughout the UK for people of all ages. Highlights of the schools programme include hands-on energy sessions for more than 600 school pupils at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh and Glasgow Science Centre; as well as a ‘teach-the-teachers’ professional development session in the East of England to inform career advisors and provide an insight into new projects and likely employment opportunities. Subsea UK will stage a ‘Mobilising the Military’ event aimed at helping the oil and gas industry access talented ex-servicemen and women; while the issues around the skills gap will come under the spotlight at The Great Crew Change Debate in Great Yarmouth on November 13th. Safety and standards in the East of England will also top the agenda, as will the role of women in industry with a series of workshops confirmed; while some of the biggest oil and gas operators will be asked to lift the lid on their operations during a Doors Open Day in Aberdeen.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “The oil and gas industry offers rewarding careers to ambitious people all over the country. As we rebalance our economy the Government is working closely with British firms to bridge skills gaps, boost opportunities within supply chains and help meet the technological challenges of the future. “National Oil and Gas Skills Week will complement this long-term partnership with the industry by helping recruit a new generation of world-class technicians, scientists and engineers. As well as building successful and lucrative careers, newcomers to the sector could play a central role in maintaining Britain’s international standing, economic stability and energy security.” Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “The National Oil & Gas Skills Week will allow us all to understand current and future industry demands and we look forward to continue working with industry to develop the skilled workforce now and for the future.  We have seen the recently published the Wood Commission, which recognises the importance of vocational education to help our young people better understand the world of work and to open up their future ambition and opportunities especially in sectors like energy.  The Scottish Government has now provided £1 million for

the establishment of industry-led Invest in Young People groups which will make crucial links between employers and education.  We are also committed to working with local authorities and other partners to develop these groups.” OPITO is urging as many employers as possible to get involved and support Skills Week. “We are looking for organisations engaged with the oil and gas industry across the UK – from operators and SMEs to education bodies, science centres, recruiters and trade associations – to get involved and help make National Oil & Gas Skills Week a success,” added John. “This is a very ambitious initiative but it has the potential to really challenge people’s perceptions of the oil and gas industry as something that doesn’t apply to them. It is the avenue for everyone from school pupils, graduates and teachers through to midcareer changers and those returning after a career break to see first-hand what the oil and gas industry can offer. “It is also the platform for industry to celebrate its achievements and for individual companies to showcase what they are doing, the opportunities they offer and the skills they need going forward.” National Oil & Gas Skills Week will run from 11th – 14th November. For more information visit www. nationaloilandgasskillsweek.com

National Oil and Gas Skills Week will complement this long-term partnership with the industry by helping recruit a new generation of world-class technicians, scientists and engineers.

Get Involved! OPITO is urging YOU to get involved in the first ever National Oil & Gas Skills Week! Aimed at showcasing the vast array of opportunities within the dynamic sector, the week will engage with those the industry needs to target to fill the skills gap. There are a huge number of opportunities for organisations of all sizes and disciplines across the UK to get involved: Host an event under the National Oil & Gas Skills Week name for local school pupils or the military… the options are endless Open your doors as part of ‘Doors Open Day’ – showcase your company, opportunities and normally hidden innovation to a wide audience Become a National Oil & Gas Skills Week sponsor The OPITO team are on hand to provide assistance. For more information or to speak to a member of the team contact 01224 787 800, email [email protected] or visit www.nationaloilandgasskillsweek.com

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OPITO Work It Out Schools and employers in the north east of Scotland have come together as part of the industry’s first structured work placement week at a time when there are calls for increased support to help the country’s young people find employment. It follows on from Sir Ian Wood’s call for action beginning with more meaningful internship programmes aiming to have all 363 Scottish secondary schools in longterm partnerships with local employers within three years’ and pupils receiving high-quality work experience and career guidance by 2020. Currently less than a third of Scottish employers take staff on straight from school. In June, more than 110 students from across Aberdeen City and Shire gained behind the scenes access to five of the Granite City’s largest oil and gas operators and service providers. The OPITO-managed programme aims to give S5 pupils an overview of the industry and make them more aware of the opportunities that lie within this exciting sector, as well as giving future employers a chance to meet and inspire the next generation. The students met staff at Aker Solutions, Nexen, BP, Total and Transocean, to learn how different sectors, companies and disciplines come together to form the oil and gas industry. They heard how exploration and production operators find, extract and process hydrocarbons. They also examined onshore and offshore roles, gained handson geology experience and tried out cyber drilling simulators. Pupils also took part in a supply chain simulation exercise with OGAS, the Oil and Gas Academy for Scotland. A series of workshops with the University of Aberdeen, exploHUB, Robert Gordon University Energy Centre and the Urquhart Partnership also introduced them to important professional skills such as CV writing and interview techniques to prepare them for starting on their career paths. Skills development director Morven Spalding said: “There has been an unparalleled level of collaboration between all the partner organisations for this interesting and relevant programme for young people considering their options.

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“It not only gives pupils a great insight into the size and scale of the sector, it allows them to connect with leading professionals and see first-hand the diverse range of careers oil and gas offers and the skills needed to achieve them. “Learning to write a CV and the interview process will be invaluable whether they apply for university, an apprenticeship or plan to go straight into working life. The foundation of knowledge the students have taken away from this week will set them on the right path for success in the future.” She added: “There has been lots of media coverage about the need to engage young people and show them that the oil and gas industry is more than hard hats and boiler suits. “Motivating students is vitally important and here’s a work placement programme which for the first time, pieces together an industry which has so much to offer, whether the young person is looking for employment straight out of school or looking for inspiration to what they can do in terms of apprenticeships or with a degree.” Another week is planned for later this year with two more in the pipeline for 2015.

Motivating students is vitally important and here’s a work placement programme which for the first time, pieces together an industry which has so much to offer.

Skills Portal Underway As part of the remit to secure the pipeline of talent for the future, OPITO is currently finalising the development of a skills portal. Designed to provide clarity on who the different employers are, the career prospects they provide and how to navigate towards them, the intention is that this online portal will be the channel for pulling together school pupils, graduates, career changers, employers, trade associations and training providers. It will provide helpful links and online resources for people from all walks of life and let users with different types of skills or ambitions see how they can fit into the oil and gas landscape. The portal will be launched during National Oil & Gas Skills Week in November.

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Powering the Future Work to bring an innovative exhibition that aims to encourage young people into the energy sector has passed a major milestone. Glasgow Science Centre has revealed that almost three quarters (£1.1m) of the funds needed to create its Powering the Future exhibition have been secured, with OPITO contributing £250,000 towards the project. The exhibition, one of the most advanced of its kind, will cost £1.5 million to develop and will shine a light on the innovation and engineering excellence that is happening in the energy sector in Scotland. Designed for all ages, it will feature over 100 interactive exhibits that will explore the many different technologies operating in the sector. The exhibition will encourage visitors to think about different ways energy is generated, how it works and consider public demand on energy resources and its different uses on an individual, regional, national and global level. Powering the Future is expected to launch in October 2015.

The oil and gas industry contributes billions to the economy and employs more than 150,000 people in Scotland alone.

Dr Stephen Breslin, chief executive of the Glasgow Science Centre, said: “Scotland is experiencing a real and serious skills shortage as fewer pupils choose STEM subjects and careers. It is our ambition that this exhibition will demonstrate the wide variety of careers that are available to all in the energy sector. “Exhibitions like Powering the Future will support the recent Wood Report which calls for a focus on STEM and aims

to enhance the way we work with young people, employers, schools and colleges to ensure they have the choices and opportunities to fulfil their career potential. “The exhibition will also provide a valuable opportunity for the sector to engage directly with young people and raise awareness of the many real and varied careers that are available in these industries.” The exhibition will highlight the career opportunities available in the sector and will form part of the Centre’s overall education programme which last year welcomed its biggest number of pupils. Darah Zahran, policy and external affairs director at OPITO, said: “The oil and gas industry contributes billions to the economy and employs more than 150,000 people in Scotland alone. It is one of the most exciting and dynamic sectors in terms of the diversity of careers, ground-breaking technologies and global opportunities it offers. “Encouraging young people to pursue a career in the energy sector starts by fostering an interest in the core science, technology, engineering and maths subjects which are critical to ensuring we inspire the next generation of pioneers.”

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Oil and Gas Awareness Programme Targeted at Troops More than 550 service personnel planning a future outside the Armed Forces have been learning about the oil and gas industry to give them a better understanding of career options available in the sector. The one-day OPITO Oil and Gas Awareness programme has been held at different military bases in England and Scotland, giving the soon to be ex-service men and women the information on the types of jobs their current skills and experience could see them applying for in the sector once they leave the Forces. Topics covered include learning about key events that have shaped the industry over the past 30 years, the different stages of exploration and production, the drilling process, pipeline management and the types of platforms and rigs. The programme began in December last year and aims to address the oil and gas industry’s critical need to recruit skilled engineers, technicians for both on and offshore positions, as well as support roles in areas such as project management and logistics. OPITO skills development director Morven Spalding said: “Ex-military are in

high demand as they have the kind of knowledge and experience which can be useful across a whole range of different career areas in oil and gas. “They may have the technical knowhow from working with specialist machinery, transporting materials, working out logistical problems, even dealing with man management issues, all of these attributes can crossover. “Knowing these people are highly motivated, used to working in harsh environments and can work successfully as part of a team are key areas employers are also looking for. “The feedback we’ve received from those attending is really positive. We’ve also had a couple of oil and gas companies coming along to the sessions to find out first-hand what these men and women have to offer. The benefit will not only be to the individual, but the oil and gas industry will be getting vastly experienced personnel who may only need a short

Contact us Minerva House, Bruntland Road, Portlethen, Aberdeen AB12 4QL Tel: +44 (0) 1224 787800 Fax: +44 (0) 1224 787830 Email: [email protected] www.opito.com Facebook: /OPITOglobal Twitter: /OPITOglobal

Knowing these people are highly motivated, used to working in harsh environments and can work successfully as part of a team are key areas employers are also looking for.

conversion course to get them started, saving companies time and cost.” John Roach, a chief petty officer weapons engineer and deputy weapons engineering officer, at HMS Grimsby, found the event he attended hugely beneficial. He said: “The awareness day was very well put together explaining all aspects of the oil and gas industry from exploration all the way through to processing and even decommissioning the rigs when they reach the end of their working life. “As the day focused on the whole industry it allowed me to pinpoint the jobs and disciplines that are relevant to my skill set. Plus meeting people within the industry was very useful to gain an appreciation of the roles and the way to access those roles.” The OPITO Oil and Gas Awareness programme has been to Rosyth, Tidworth, Plymouth, Colchester, Portsmouth, Cottesmore and Aldershot, with more dates at bases planned in the coming months.