Reskilling to close the gap

OE Staff Sep 1, 2011

Two Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) initiatives have been launched in the UK for offshore companies looking to address the skills gap through the reskilling of adult trainees. The first 16 learners recently completed their training.

The ReSkill Rigger and ReSkill Pipefitting training programmes were developed by the ECITB in conjunction with offshore contractors Wood Group PSN and Amec to help recruit people from other similar professions into the offshore industry. Both utilise the ECITB's TECSkills training units enabling learners to achieve their NVQ Level 2 in Supporting Engineering Activities, and giving them the skills and knowledge to be able to perform safely when they go offshore to gain further experience for their NVQ Level 3 qualification.

The first four-week rigger training programme was delivered with accredited TECSkills training provider TLS Training (Scotland). Wood Group PSN and Amec recruited four rigger trainees each for the programme at TLS' new customised Peterhead facility. A further eight trainees undertook the seven-week pipefitting training programme delivered with accredited TECSkills training provider MetTECH at its Grangemouth training centre.

Both training programmes incorporate 80% practical training and 20% knowledge training including all relevant offshore health and safety practices. OE

Distance-learning in the pipeline

A fully-accredited, online distance learning certificate in pipeline engineering is being launched from September by Penspen and Northumbria University in the UK. The Penspen team in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, whose reach extends across the UK, Middle East, Americas and Asia Pacific, will provide all distance learning materials and tutors and the programme will be run by the university's School of Computing, Engineering & Information Sciences.

The decision to create the postgraduate course, which is worth 33% of an MSc, came after a review of training needs in the pipeline industry concluded that there is a skills and training crisis in the sector. Arguing that this is ‘a real and pressing issue which needs addressing with more fullyaccredited training courses which are accessible across the globe', Penspen's Professor Phil Hopkins describes the new course as ‘a solid first step to addressing the increasing skills gap'.

The course is fully flexible, with students able to learn via a wide range of options from public training courses delivered by Penspen to the dedicated online training website which can be accessed by students across the globe.

The certificate is made up of four modules worth 60 academic credits, meaning participants can ultimately go on to put their credits towards a Masters worth 180 credits if they so wish. This September's first course module will be ‘Pipeline integrity assessment' and during academic year 2011-12 the plan is to add further modules in ‘Onshore pipeline engineering', ‘Risk management of pipelines', and ‘Materials and corrosion'.