Offshore staff

LONDON --The UK oil and gas industry is succeeding in its campaign to attract new blood, according to a report from industry body Oil & Gas UK. One company graduate scheme attracted 2,000 applicants for 20 positions, and there have recently been 10 applicants for every opening on the industry's Technician Training scheme.

The report's author, Jessica Burton, used personnel-tracking data to calculate that the average age of an offshore worker on the UK shelf was 41, no higher than for any other industry employing people between the ages of 20 and 60. She also found that more women were being recruited for technical roles.

However, Burton also found under-representation in the 30-34 and under-24 age groups, while certain occupations such as rigging and crane operations tended to be dominated by older personnel. Recruitment needs to be focused on these areas, she suggested, to avoid potential staff shortages in future.

5/9/2007