PERISCOPE

Tomorrow´s workforce in the oil and gas industry

15 May 2018 - Published by Stig Marthinsen
A report launched in may 2018 addresses the future of the workforce in the oil and gas industry. The report, developed by Robert Gordon University’s (RGU) Oil and Gas Institute and OPITO, aims to respond to the challenges the sector is facing.

The oil and gas industry is facing major transformation processes in the future, and the changes lead to other requirements for skills and competence than we see today. Automation and digitalization become very important, and the authors of the report want a strategy to ensure that the industry has the skills required for the digital transformation. This skills strategy will also ensure that the industry remains relevant and attractive to new entrants.

Skill and re-skill
The report, which is based on UK oil and gas workforce dynamics, indicates that more than 40,000 new people will need to be recruited into the industry over the next 20 years, including 10,000 in posts that don’t exist today. Because of digitalization and automation, the authors of the reports think closer collaboration is required between industry and training providers to up-skill and re-skill the workforce to enhance technology skills and capabilities across the industry.

Automation and new technology
A document attached to the report says that new roles will be required in areas such as data science, data analytics, robotics, artificial intelligence, material science, remote operations, new materials, nano-technology, change management and cyber security. Areas that are likely to be most affected by technology and the changes, are posts that involve high degrees of routine physical work and data handling.

Read the full report.