Aberdeen may be synonymous with the oil and gas boom but for many young people the opportunities in the lucrative and ever-changing energy sector can seem as distant as an offshore rig.
Get into Oil and Gas, an innovative programme run by The Prince’s Trust Scotland, is working to change that by helping young people take that vital first step on the career ladder.
Get into Oil and Gas, the first course of its kind for The Prince’s Trust, was delivered in partnership with Tullos Training and Enterprise North East Trust with funding from the Wood Family Trust, the Knight Family Trust, and Aberdeen City Council.
Despite the energy sector helping to keep unemployment in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire below the national average, there are challenges to make sure young people can access employment and training opportunities, particularly among young people from a deprived background.
What did Get into Oil and Gas involve?
The Prince’s Trust ‘Get into’ training model aims to give young people vital skills and experience in specific industries as well as boosting their employability skills and confidence.
In the Get into Oil & Gas pilot, a group of young people went through a rigorous selection process designed to test motivation, enthusiasm, team building skills and communication. This process also included a creative challenge which saw young people make presentations to oil and gas industry “dragons”.
During the first four weeks of the course they gained experience in a number of areas including machining, painting and blasting, welding, and electronics as well as certification for first aid, manual handling and working at heights.
They were tested on what they had learned throughout this intensive training period, building up their confidence before two-week training placements with some of the biggest names in the industry.
The pilot group also met HRH The Prince of Wales as part of his visit to The Prince’s Trust Centre in Dundee.
Out of the 11 who did the course, , six have already secured employment and three are awaiting outcomes from interviews.
Susan Martin, Get into manager for business development, The Prince’s Trust, said:
“The young people who took part in this programme were lacking confidence, experience or qualifications. They weren’t in a position to compete in this specialised sector.
“Some had wanted to secure an apprenticeship in this sector but for various reasons hadn’t managed to. Others didn’t know how to get into the industry and how to access the opportunities. The mainstream routes into this sector are highly competitive.
“This course has allowed us to promote the energy sector to young unemployed people, many of whom might think of the oil and gas sector as being all about oil rigs out at sea and who didn’t see how they could access opportunities within the sector.”
Bob Steel, MD for Caledonia Petroleum Services which played a pivotal role in the pilot said: “The trainees chosen to participate in the pilot programme opened their minds and hearts and participated within the scheme with true passion, focus and commitment.
“If we had not gone ahead with the pilot programme the loss of future talent would be a missed opportunity and ultimately the loss of hope for these young people would have been a loss for us all.
“We look forward to working and supporting The Prince’s Trust for many years to come.”
What the young people said
- “I’m really enjoying getting out of bed in the morning and actually doing something!”
- “I’ve been treated with respect by the trainers. This course has put a smile on all of our faces”
- “It’s not like school, this course and the trainers have taught me loads”
- “This course has got me back into a decent routine again. The tutors are really helpful, it’s like having an older mate telling you what to do”
- “All the trainers and staff have been really helpful. I would definitely recommend this course to other people”
- “I’ve enjoyed being able to try out new topics and different things”
Following the success of the pilot The Prince’s Trust hopes to extend similar programmes beyond Aberdeen and enable more young people throughout Scotland to explore opportunities in this growing sector.
The second Get into Oil and Gas course in Aberdeen is due to begin on November 11 with a taster day on November 1. Anyone interested in taking part should contact Lynne Martin, project manager at Enterprise North East Trust on 01224 289729, 07787 518392 or e-mail lynne.martin@enetrust.com
