The N. Sea oil and gas industry has faced an unprecedented downturn in recent years – a downturn that has particularly affected the Scottish market that is heavily reliant on both fuels.
Last year the Scottish Government announced a £12m Transition Training Fund to help individuals affected retrain for other sectors.
The Road Haulage Association has been awarded a TTF contract to manage the transition of those who have been made redundant or are under threat of redundancy due to the downturn in the oil and gas sector.
To launch the initiative, Scottish Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse visited RHA member Colin Lawson Transport in Aberdeen.
This fund will provide LGV driver, management and compliance related training across the haulage sector which will be supplemented by the RHA with industry knowledge and employment opportunities, maximising the potential outcomes for all those who qualify.
The fund is open to all employees and contractors who have worked or are working either directly in the oil and gas industry or its supply chain and have been affected by the reduction in demand for skills, manufacturing and services normally delivered as part of the wider oil and gas industry.
The road haulage industry is also painfully short of skills in other areas; management, compliance, mechanical and inspection roles, many of which are managerial/supervisory positions.
Brian Kenny, RHA Regional Operations Manager, said: “The UK’s haulage industry is experiencing a massive skills shortage. We anticipate that within the next year Scotland alone could face a shortfall of up to 25,000 drivers.”
For more information, email: oil&gas@RHA-Scotland.co.uk
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