Energy Voice sits down with Energy Job Taskforce champions to get to the heart of the issue.
For Aker leader Matt Corbin market recovery is a matter of when not if.
The only ‘if’ he worries about is a cost cutting culture alienating a generation of emerging talent.
“For me recovery is about when not if,” he said.
“If there are any learnings from last year it’s that we can’t change overnight. It’s a long process of sustainable changes and not just a quick fix.
“I passionately believe the next generation is the long term solution for the industry. With them they bring fresh ideas, energy and a new prospective on the cost base.”
Corbin, who was recently promoted from his UK managing director position to a global role with the firm, like his peers has been forced to comb budgets for cost savings.
“This past year has made us very, very aware of what we do and its relevance to the company and the lack of value other actions have,” he said.
But what’s the one itemised cost he’s safeguarded from the “lower for longer” mentality?
His budget to hire on 25 graduates and apprentices next summer.
He added: “I passionately believe the next generation is the long term solution for the industry. With them they bring fresh ideas, energy and a new prospective on the cost base.
“It’s not for me to tell others how to run their business but I think it’s very short-sighted that there are companies, which are not investing in talent for the long term. You have to take the view that people can have a greater impact over costs.”
It’s an agenda he’s pushing as part of his role for the Energy Jobs Taskforce.
However, the taskforce can’t be expected to plug the dam of mass job losses, according to Corbin.
Instead it can help provide a transition route and information hub for those who find themselves embarking on the unknown. More than 2,000 people attended the taskforce’s recruitment open days in recent months.
The Aker boss added: “In a lot of ways it’s not about the thousands, but the tens or twenties or thirties of jobs that we can save.”
He also called for contracts specs to include a requirement to include a certain amount of young people – helping sustain fledgling talent.
Corbin added: “I think 2016 is going to be tough from an execution and action point of view. There’s a lot of damage. But despite that I’m quite confident that the damage of 2015 will turn into some real solutions in 2016.
“There’s still some easy wins out there and it’s an opportunity for the next generation to step-up. This is the first downturn they’ve seen so this an opportunity for them to come up with some the new ideas and solutions.
“The next generation will be critical to the sector not just next year but in the long-term.”
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