MORE than 20 oil and gas companies are giving secondary school pupils from north-east Scotland the chance to experience a career in the industry this week as part of OPITO’s structured work experience programme.
The industry skills training body is managing a structured programme running throughout this week to give 16 to 18 year-olds from 27 schools across the region, a chance to observe and engage with major energy companies in Aberdeen city-shire.
Pupils will be taken to a variety of industry experiences, including visiting offshore survival training and drilling simulator centres, as well as exploring an extensive range of onshore careers including engineering, business support, and marketing roles.
John McDonald, OPITO managing director, said: “Young people are the future workforce for the oil and gas industry. The industry is currently going through some challenging times with the reduction in oil price, but this week shows the dedication of companies willing to engage with school pupils to ensure we have a strong future workforce for the sector.”
The students will meet with industry professionals at a range of different companies – including Nexen, Maersk Training, BP, Kongsberg Maritime, Aker Solutions, Subsea 7, Survivex, the National Hyperbaric Centre, RGU Energy Centre and Schlumberger – to gain knowledge and understanding of how the companies work together to explore, recover and process hydrocarbons.
Archie Kennedy, Managing Director, Nexen Petroleum UK, said: “We hope to encourage and inspire young students to pursue the diverse range of careers within the oil and gas industry.
“By giving students a taste of our business, we are giving our next generation of explorers, scientists, engineers and safety specialists a foundation into one of the most innovative and highly skilled industries in the world.”
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