British workers will be able to benefit from an ‘energy skills passport’ backed by the oil, gas and wind industry – News

The initiative is led by Renewable UK, Offshore Energies UK and OPITO

EMPLOYERS in the oil, gas and wind sectors have partnered with energy initiatives to develop a skills passport to help UK workers through the energy transition.

The purpose of the passport is to present the employee’s current set of skills and qualifications as well as the most appropriate career path to start working in the renewable energy sector.

The OPITO Skills Authority is developing a passport, which has been set out for the first time in both the North Sea Interim Agreement and the Offshore Wind Sector Agreement, from 2022.

The partnership includes energy initiatives from Renewable UK, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) and the Global Wind Organization (GWO). Katy Heidenreich, supply chain and human resources director at OEUK, said: “I believe too many people underestimate the transferability of oil and gas workers’ skills to new energy sectors, and the Skills Passport is about realizing this and making it easy to for people to travel from oil and gas to emerging energy sources and back again“

She added: “Engineering design is a really great example of skills that can be transferred between sectors. Particle handling, which is what hydrogen is all about, is the specialty of our industry. Another transferable skill in carbon storage is prospecting for CO2 storage sites, which is exactly the same skill needed for gas exploration.”

Temporary teething problems

According to figures published in the North Sea Transformation Deal policy document, offshore energy jobs are expected to exceed 211,000 by 2030, with an estimated 270,000 people currently working in the UK oil and gas sector.

Ian Cook is director of business development at low carbon energy company SSE. He started his career in the oil and gas industry, and in 2021 he switched to renewable energy sources. He initially attempted to make this decision in 2017, applying to Imperial College London to join the Master’s in Sustainable Future Energy, but was rejected due to limited experience.

He said: “I had a pretty strong CV as a qualified chemical engineer and yet I was rejected because they said they wanted a candidate with more relevant experience.”

He added: “I think the Energy Skills Passport is good, but it needs recognition. It’s good that industry bodies are getting involved, but I think it’s more important that employers recognize the skills passport and qualifications.”

Common skill standard

The partnership is considering both the OPITO Basic Maritime Safety Induction and Training (BOSIET) program and the GWO Basic Safety Training program, aimed at building career pathways for oil and gas workers to transition to renewable energy sources.

The development of the passport is also based on information from employers in the energy industry about recognized skills and certificates.

Heidenreich added: “We are working with employers on this solution to ensure that what is brought to market is sustainable and appreciated by all the right parts of both sectors.”

The partnership expects the first version of the passport prototype to be launched by the third quarter.