TRAINING
ENVIRONMENTAL SURVIVAL TANK
Tom Toolan introduced us to Ian Pease, Head of Maritime, Offshore & Energy who gave us a grand tour of the facilities available and we were particularly impressed by the Environmental Survival Tank, which just happened to have a live training session taking place demonstrating its unique versatility.
Ian enthused, “We are very excited and committed to the offshore wind energy sector and as a result we are constantly developing new courses and provision to meet its changing needs.” And added, “Our customers often need our training services at short notice so our focus is on providing responsive and flexible training solutions so that they can fulfil their responsibilities to the projects they are working on.”
IAN’S CV
Ian graduated from Leicester University in 1997 with a BA (Hons) in Human Geography and shortly after gained employment at the gas network company, Transco in Leicester.
He then returned to his home town of Lowestoft where he started work at Lowestoft College in the role of Apprentice Training Officer for vocational areas, including Engineering and Maritime.
In 2001, Ian moved to the Economic Development Unit at Great Yarmouth Borough Council working closely with employers in the oil and gas, electronics and marine logistics sectors.
Then In 2005 an opportunity arose to return to Lowestoft College to head up two of the College’s four Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) in Offshore Technology and Skills for Energy.
The CoVE programme proved to be a great success for Lowestoft College enabling it to invest in a range of new facilities and expertise leading to the development of training provision in renewable generation technologies and engineering for the Offshore and Nuclear sectors.
In October 2009, Ian was appointed to the position of Head of Maritime, Offshore & Energy Studies which comprises of the College’s commercial training business.
The College’s facilities include a purpose built Environmental Survival Tank which can realistically simulate hostile North Sea conditions in controlled safety; wind, waves, rain, darkness and a range of sound effects all contribute to produce a testing environment in which personnel can gain the skills needed to survive. The Environmental Tank’s vital statistics include:
• Offshore Wind Turbine / Sub-station transfer ladder
• Wave heights of up to 1.5 metres • Water depths of 4m • 6 fans delivering up to force 6 equivalent wind
• High flow rain generation • Platform above pool 3.5m above water • Variable level lighting down to total blackout – which we experienced on our visit – very impressive!
• Travelling crane over pool S.W.L. 1 tonne
• Load in/out crane to outside S.W.L. 1 tonne
• Helicopter rescue winch • Launch davit from platform
To date Lowestoft College has assisted with the training of personnel working on a number of offshore wind farms including Scroby Sands, Greater Gabbard, Sheringham Shoal and Gunfleet Sands.
OFFSHOREWIND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
In a recent development Lowestoft College’s offshore emergency response team has created a new suite of training and evaluation courses for offshore wind marine coordinators, control room operators and senior managers.
Building on its flourishing OPITO approved oil & gas Management of Major Emergency expertise it has successfully run a series of courses for a major offshore wind developer whose wind farm control centre is based in the East of England.
Training takes place in a purpose built simulation suite equipped with a range of authentic communications systems, alarms, AIS simulator, data loggers, SCADA emulation and recording equipment. A key feature of this training is the way Lowestoft College works closely with its clients to develop bespoke training and assessment packages with all simulations being client and location specific, based on company emergency response plans and operating procedures.
We particularly noted that the College is highly responsive to employer’s needs. It has a keen commercial focus and works in close partnership with local, national and international employers to ensure its training provision continues to meet both the current and anticipated requirements of industry.
Ian concluded, “This is just the start of our planned training provision for the offshore wind sector, in the coming months we will be announcing a number of exciting new developments which will help Lowestoft College to achieve its ambition to become the regions one stop wind safety training shop.”
Wind Energy Network will be following the team at the college in their quest to be the chosen training centre for the both the UK and Europe.
Lowestoft College
www.lowestoft.ac.uk/maritime.asp
e
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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