Oil & gas leaders commit to industry-wide competence measurement
5 Nov 2019
Leading oil and gas engineering companies have helped embed a Government-sponsored system of competence measurement in the sector.
The heads of firms including Aker Solutions, Bilfinger Salamis, Petrofac, Stork, Wood and Worley have agreed to make the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) Connected Competence programme a requirement for their employees from April 2020.
As the Government-supported sector skills agency, the ECITB wants to promote an industry standard measure after complaints that differing measures used by operators were creating inefficiencies and inflexible practices.
ECITB chief executive Chris Claydon said: "This competence assurance initiative has the potential to deliver a step change in productivity and safety for the oil and gas sector as well as the wider engineering construction industry.
“The benefits are numerous, not least in helping to mobilise skilled workers to the projects that need them. This includes supporting the transfer of workers to other energy sectors when they are required, thereby helping to retain skills within the wider engineering and construction industries."
The firms taking part all play a major role in securing critical North Sea assets. They recently joined the new Industry Council designed to improve competency along the supply chain.
Oil and Gas UK has suggested impending seasonal shutdown will impact the requirement for an additional 4,500 workers in the industry, with a risk of unskilled labour entering the market.
Photo: Industry Council members (back row) Keith Scott and Shaun Dewar of Petrofac; Shaun Poll, Worley; Sandy Bonner of Bilfinger Salamis; (front row) Steve Hunt of Stork; Craig Shanaghey of Wood and Aker Solutions' Phil Davie
