Often referred to as NASA but on the seabed, the world of subsea is one of the most fast-paced, pioneering, ingenious, hi-tech and dynamic industries on the planet with a long-term, sustainable future.
As such it should be a natural career choice for our next generation of scientists, engineers, technicians, professionals and curious youngsters. However due to its low profile and many misconceptions surrounding the energy industry, not least of which are around environmental and safety issues, many people have not even given subsea a second thought.
But this is changing and Subsea UK is at the forefront of profiling the sector and working with its companies to attract new talent into the subsea pool through a range of initiatives.
Opening up Subsea Expo to school pupils, college and university students as well as more mature job seekers is the first step in a long-term skills programme designed by Subsea UK to promote the rewarding, challenging and exciting career opportunities in subsea both at home and overseas.
Subsea Expo showcases the very best of British technology and services in subsea and this year, for the first time, the event will devote a whole day to demonstrating the various roles and paths open to those searching for a fulfilling career as well as helping companies promote what they can offer in terms of personal and professional development and attract the best talent.
Given recent growth forecasts and current vacancies in the industry, it is highly likely that the subsea sector will need to attract an additional 16,000 people from a range of disciplines to meet future demand and maintain the UK’s leading position of around a third of the global market share.
Subsea UK’s skills strategy, largely encompassed under the Subsea Target programme, has several strands. In the short-term, the organisation is focused on working with the industry, Government and other relevant bodies to attract people into the industry immediately through conversion training schemes and mobilising the military initiatives. In the medium-term Subsea UK is working with companies to get them ready to accommodate the additional resources required and reaching out to students and apprentices. While the current work in profiling the industry to schools and educating young people about the sector will ensure a sustainable pipeline of skills in the longer-term.
In October 2012, Subsea UK secured part of the £2 million Energy Challenge Fund offered by Skills Development Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government. The aims of the fund are two-fold; to attract new entrants into the industry and to help people diversify their existing skill set to meet the skills shortage. With this initial funding, Subsea UK launched Subsea Target in June 2013.
Subsea Target provides the framework, guidance and tools companies need to find and nurture talent. For individuals looking to break into the sector, Subsea Target outlines the wide variety of entry routes available; be it engineering conversion courses, transition training focused on ex-military personnel or apprenticeship schemes for school leavers. By closely examining exactly what the industry needs and collaborating with companies already offering training schemes, Subsea
Target has been designed to share best practice and lead the design of pan-industry programmes that can be utilised by companies operating across our supply chain.
Subsea Target operates on the bow tie model, pulling companies through one side and individuals through the other to meet successfully in the middle. As a platform for individuals looking to gain greater insight into the subsea industry and the diverse range of roles available within it,
www.subsetarget.com is a portal for finding out about jobs, receiving industry advice and learning how to build a subsea-specific CV. On the other side, it is also the gateway to a comprehensive resource to help companies find, recruit and develop the people they need.
Poaching from a limited talent pool is no longer a sustainable way of recruiting to meet the future demand and successfully grow the UK subsea sector. Subsea companies must learn to look more closely at people who already possess a relevant skill set that can be transferred to the subsea sector. Where there are gaps in their knowledge of the industry, the tools provided through Subsea Target can provide companies with the additional support and infrastructure to make new recruits become fully functional in a role as quickly as possible.
Since the initiative was launched, Subsea UK has been working with around 20 companies across the supply chain to help them resource for growth. In response to the issues companies face, we have developed a “toolkit” which helps aid the rapid development and deployment of personnel.
Neil Gordon, chief executive of Subsea UK said: “What many companies have told us is that finding people is not the problem; where we fall short is in the training and retention of staff, making sure the right development plans and organisational structures are in place. Subsea Target aims to address the shift in organisational culture needed to address those issues, ensuring that mentoring and coaching is delivered with the same level of priority as a comprehensive recruitment campaign. Through this approach we can change our focus from simply attracting talent to building, nurturing and retaining it.”
Subsea UK is committed to rising to the real challenges facing our industry in its quest for the skills of the future. The industry must now rise with us by demonstrating it is prepared to explore new ways of collaborating, sharing best practice and embracing initiatives such as Subsea Target. Together, the industry can source, develop and retain the skills it needs to remain at the forefront of subsea technology and know-how around the world.
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