OPITO’s Oil and Gas Industry Awareness Programme lands at RAF Cottesmore

Company

24th March 2014

Military informed in Rutland of future in oil and gas roles

ARMED Forces personnel are being targeted today (24th March) by OPITO, the skills organisation for oil and gas, as they visit RAF Cottesmore loaded with information on the jobs open for those planning a new career in the sector.

Pro-actively targeting soon-to-be ex-servicemen and women, the OPITO Oil and Gas Industry Awareness programme provides an overview of the oil and gas sector as well as detailing job roles which could already match their existing experience and skills.

The 60 attending the event in the East Midlands will also be given information on a number of topics including the drilling process, the different types of rigs and platforms, transportation, pipeline management and the decommissioning process.

The programme has so far been received by almost 500 Forces personnel since it started last December and aims to address the oil and gas industry’s critical need to recruit skilled engineers, technicians for both on and offshore positions, as well as support roles in areas such as project management and logistics.

OPITO skills development director, Morven Spalding said: “Ex-military are in high demand. At last week’s visit to the military base in Rosyth, we invited two companies along on the day and after seeing what these men and women already have to offer, they were all keyed up looking for potential employees.

“Knowing these people are already well-trained, safety conscious and very dependable, potential employers are catching on to how suitable these soon-to-be ex-service men and women will be once they’re given the right opportunities to transfer their military experiences into oil and gas.”

OPITO has been working closely with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), the MoD’s official provider of Armed Forces Resettlement, to raise awareness of the long-term career opportunities the oil and gas industry offers those leaving the Forces.

CTP managing director David Duffy said: “The Armed Forces equips its employees with a high degree of professionalism and a wide range of skills, including technical expertise, vocational qualifications, health and safety, leadership and management and team working. We are delighted to be working with OPITO to promote opportunities in the oil and gas sector and in turn help organisations seeking to recruit highly skilled and capable candidates.”

John Roach, a chief petty officer weapons engineer and deputy weapons engineering officer, at HMS Grimsby, found the event he attended hugely beneficial. He said: “The awareness day was very well put together explaining all aspects of the oil and gas industry from exploration all the way through to processing and even decommissioning the rigs when they reach the end of their working life.

“As the day focused on the whole industry it allowed me to pin point the jobs and disciplines that are relevant to my skill set. Plus meeting people within the industry was very useful to gain an appreciation of the roles and the way to access those roles.”

OPITO has plans to visit other UK military bases engaging with more exiting personnel.

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