08 December 2005
The young end of the skills gap
Engineer shortages could threaten plans to increase exploration for North Sea oil and gas, according to a study carried out by the Fraser Allender Institute at Strathclyde University. Job security is one of the main factors that is considered to be contributing to the shortage of engineers. In 1966 the first offshore oil platform was installed in the North Sea. Almost 40 years later the North Sea is being described as a mature basin and we frequently hear reports that the life of the North Sea as an active oil and gas field is finite, with perhaps as little as twenty years remaining. As well as looking at the emerging skills gap in the North Sea from the point of view of an ageing workforce and the loss of knowledge as new operators take over fields it is important to consider the potential effect that the negative portrayal of the North Sea is having on those who are taking their first step along their career path.
According to recruitment specialist, Simon Chinn of Thorpe Molloy, these negative images of the oil and gas industry in the United Kingdom have had a detrimental effect on the career aspirations of graduates just about to enter the job market but fortunately this image is slowly changing.
He comments, "As recently as 2004 many graduates were wary of entering into a career in the oil and gas industry in the North Sea. It was viewed as being unstable. Fortunately recent finds such as the Buzzard field in 2001 and the increased activity from new and smaller operators, using new technology to access hard to reach oil and gas reserves has led to a more positive outlook and many graduates are now actively looking to enter the oil and gas industry in the North Sea. As the operatorship of established fields passes to smaller operators the use of oil service companies is increasing as operators are no longer a one stop shop. For graduates about to enter the job market and start their careers in the oil and gas industry there is a very bright future ahead of them.
Roustabout, November 2005
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