TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
Future-Proofing Offshore Energy Through Workforce Development
Building a pipeline of skilled professionals ready to meet the challenges of the offshore energy industry is a vital priority for the global sector. As the workforce continues to mature, there is a growing skills gap which is creating a major challenge for the industry. According to a study produced by Offshore Energies UK in 2022, 43 percent of offshore workers are over the age of 45. An ageing workforce, coupled with the increasing demands of sustainable and advanced energy solutions, means it has never been more important to invest in workforce development.
Plugging this gap becomes even more essential when the context of the UK’s race to net zero is considered. A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that around 20% of oil and gas workers with skills transferable to clean energy are expected to retire by 2030, leaving a gap of nearly 200,000 skilled jobs. This demonstrates the urgency of this issue and the importance of developing new talent to address it. Providing skills and training is more critical than ever.
However, it is essential that new talent is trained to the highest level possible to ensure that workers are correctly equipped before being commissioned for offshore operations. The offshore environment is an incredibly technical and challenging environment to operate in and to train a workforce effectively for this, a mixed approach must be taken combining crucial
hands-on experience with core knowledge and learning. Advancements in technology can be harnessed to aid this, such as simulators, allowing important training to take place without a risk to equipment or to trainees.
The solution to this challenge requires dedication to effectively develop young workers. ROVOP, a leading supplier of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) to the energy industry, recently recruited its highest intake of trainees ever in 2024 and has continued this trend into 2025 with nine new recruits joining the ROV pilot training course.
The structure of the course allows for a trainee to progress from commencement to offshore service in six to eight weeks, ensuring individuals a fast track to invaluable real-life experience. To ensure recruits are ready for this, the 15-day initial programme includes three 12-hour shiſts on ROVOP’s state of the art ROV simulator. The different elements of the course ensure that trainees are equipped with both the relevant knowledge and understanding to undertake the job alongside hands on experience. This is gained in part two of the course where trainees are placed in the ROVOP workshop or on board one of its vessels, allowing them to learn from their experienced and skilled colleagues and actively engage in ROV maintenance.
ROVOP’s dedication to training the next generation of highly skilled ROV pilots illustrates its commitment to the energy industry as a whole, ensuring that offshore energy operations can continue to be delivered both safely and efficiently.
ROVOP CEO, Neil Potter with latest ROV pilot trainee recruits
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www.sosmagazine.biz June Issue 2025
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