The current skills gap in the energy industry is understandably a great worry to employers. Cultivating enthusiasm in the next generation for a career in oil and gas is vital to putting this right, but will take years for the full results to be felt.
Personnel coming out of full-term service in the military are increasingly recognised as an important part of the solution to plugging the skills gap. And while not always directly qualified to step into the industry, ex-forces personnel’s dedication, maturity and coolness in stressful conditions are ideal building blocks for a successful career in oil.
Employers and education providers are rallying to help service leavers make the transition. In-house programmes, commercial trainers and university-level courses abound, giving plenty of opportunities for anyone leaving the forces.
On the side of the personnel themselves, though, leaving the forces can be unsettling.
“Change can be daunting for anyone, and for those who have served for lengthy periods of time in the military, the change from a military to a commercial role can be a challenge, but one that is faced readily and with enthusiasm by many,” said Romana Grant, regional employment and training manager (Scotland), for the Career Transition Partnership (CTP).
As the official provider of armed forces resettlement since 1998, the CTP offers resettlement services to all ranks of the UK armed forces, including the Navy and Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force.
CTP offers a wide range of training courses, many of which link directly to the requirements of the energy industry. In addition, there are also in excess of 450 preferred training suppliers.
Service leavers, Mrs Grant explained, are well suited to a career in the energy industry for many reasons. And such has been the industry’s appetite for what ex-military can offer, CTP has been able to place more than 2,500 service leavers into roles within the industry between January 2011 and 2013.
She said: “The oil and gas industry is growing again in the range of opportunities offered and needs the right people with the right skills to make sure that it can continue to meet the demand for technical skills in the future. Military service leavers can offer a wide range of these necessary skills to employers.
“This industry suits ex-military as they are used to working away from home for both short and long periods if required, and are also used to well-structured, process-driven work environments, complying with strict health and safety regulations.”
Case study: Lee Davies
Energy services company Centrifuges Unlimited has brought many ex-forces personnel into its ranks.
The Aberdeen firm, which specialises in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of equipment such as water separators and mud coolers, recognises the value that service leavers bring to the oil and gas industry.
Lee Davies joined the company four months ago, fresh from a position as senior mechanical engineer at 202 Squadron D flt at RAF Lossiemouth. Before that, he was an air engineering mechanic in the Royal Navy, working mainly on the Lynx Mk3 and Mk 8 helicopters.
The 33-year-old explained he decided to leave working on military aircraft as he sought a change and a new challenge.
“I found that the oil and gas industry would give me the challenge I was looking for as it has so much potential for people who want to progress, providing they are willing to put in the hard work and commitment,” he said.
After researching the opportunities in the industry, he began applying for positions, and was surprised by how quickly he was called in to interview. Within three weeks, he was offered jobs by two companies, but decided Centrifuges would be best for him.
Lee said: “I was extremely impressed with Jim Shiach (managing director) and Nick Slater’s (operations director) vision of where they want to take the company and I felt that I could assist in helping the company grow and become an even more widely respected and bigger by bringing the skills and discipline I learned from working in and with the military.”
Lee’s colleague, Daniel Burbridge, 22, is similarly delighted to have found himself working for the company. He joined the Army at the age of 16 as an electrician, but decided to leave five years later as he found it didn’t allow him much independence.
“I chose the oil and gas industry because it allows me to develop the skills that I learned in the Army,” Daniel explained. “I got a job with Centrifuges Unlimited as my mum told me they were looking for engineers so I applied and they offered me a training programme.”
He is now a trainee engineer at the company and has not looked back since joining.
In offering advice to others who could be looking to leave the forces, Daniel said: “I found it easy to make the transition but I believe this is because I’m young and wasn’t that dependant on the Army. I would say to people that are trying to start a job within the oil and gas sector that the offshore lifestyle is quite similar to the Forces.”
Following from his colleague’s thoughts, Lee added that he thinks the transition to oil and gas is well worth the making. He said: “I firmly believe that ex-forces personnel are absolutely ideal and well suited for a career in the oil and gas industry and are perfect for employers. This is due to the high levels of discipline and skills they have gained through all the intense training and courses they receive from whichever branch of the military they have come from as they are easily transferable to a new career in this industry.”
