Wireline Issue 45 - Summer 2019

Image left: RGU Oil & Gas Institute director Paul de Leeuw presents findings from the OPITO Workforce Dynamics report.

By 2025, it is estimated that the industry needs to attract 25,000 new people, 4,500 of which will be in completely new roles that do not currently exist in areas such as data science, automation and new materials. By the same date, around 80% of the current workforce are expected to still be working within the industry. The study notes that the opportunity to retain these skills, and to upskill and reskill the workforce as the industry adapts new technologies and different ways of working, is therefore substantial. Following keynotes from RGU Oil & Gas Institute director Paul de Leeuw and OPITO director of strategic development Mark Cullens, the event heard from a panel of industry speakers including Ariel Flores, BP’s north sea regional president; Lesley Birse, president of people and organisation for Europe, Africa, ME, Asia and Australia at Wood; and Sophie Ewen, currently anOGTAP (Oil & Gas Technical Apprentice Programme) apprentice working with Chevron.

OPITO explores workforce of the future OGUK hosted its second Breakfast Briefing of 2019 in Aberdeen, at which OPITO set out its strategy to prepare the UK oil and gas industry for a shift in skills requirements over the next six years. Sponsored by Deloitte, the 2 May event saw the release of OPITO’s Skills Landscape 2019 – 2025 report, part of the UKCS Workforce Dynamics research series, which explores how technology advances, internationalisation and the transition to a lower carbon future are accelerating changing skills demands in the sector. Developed in partnership with Robert Gordon University’s Oil & Gas Institute, the report is built on four strategic components – Retain, Retrain, Recruit, and Renew – and is designed to help the sector develop an increasingly flexible, multi-skilled and technology-enabled workforce.

Efficiency Task Force welcomes newmembers OGUK’s Efficiency Task Force (ETF) has appointed three newmembers to its steering group which aims to seek out, promote and provide access to best practice across the industry whilst boosting collaboration. The additions include Baker Hughes GE director of oilfield equipment, Romain Chambault; Chrysaor non-operated ventures director Steve Cox; and Carjon- NRG managing director Colin Black. transformational change in areas including business processes, standardisation and simplification, culture and behaviours industry-wide. The first initiative of its kind for any oil and gas province, it aligns with all other industry efforts. It is one of the six MER UK (Maximising Economic Recovery) task forces under the MER UK Forum, bringing together government, industry In just over three years since the ETF launched, it has secured

Download a copy of the Skills Landscape 2019 – 2025 report via the OPITO website.

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