Engineering construction companies must work together collaboratively if they are to address the skills challenges across the UK energy sector, ECITB Chief Executive Chris Claydon has told industry leaders.
The call to work together was made at SNS2019, the energy conference in the East of England organised by the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR). The conference for offshore wind, oil and gas and nuclear industries considered how the UK can build a multi-skilled mobile workforce that can flow between the different sectors.
“We are in a period of increasing demand on the labour force while new technologies are changing the skills required across engineering construction,” said Chris Claydon.
“With 33,000 extra workers needed within the next decade, industry must invest in new entrants, support transferable skills and upskill the existing workforce.”
The ECITB’s new strategy for training the industry up until 2022 identifies that urgent action is needed both to meet current skills needs and prepare for the future, including harnessing technological change and boosting diversity and inclusion across engineering construction.
Also addressing the conference, Deirdre Michie, CEO of Oil & Gas UK, said: “It’s vital we understand existing and future skills profiles and proactively develop the talent required. This is about nurturing a diverse and inclusive workforce whose skills are transferable between energy sectors.”
The conference heard that in offshore wind alone, the industry needs to treble its total workforce in the next decade. The rejuvenated oil and gas industry needs 25,000 new people by 2025, with 4,500 set to work in roles that do not yet exist, including jobs in big data analytics, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics and other technologies emerging in the fourth industrial revolution.
Chris Claydon speaks at SNS2019.
Image source: TMS Media