PATHWAY TO PETROLEUM—EASING SKILL SHORTAGES THROUGH AN INDUSTRY INDUCTION PROGRAM

Abstract

To provide a pathway to employment, petroleum industry employers are sponsoring a standard induction program, delivered through a national network of training centres, which will be recognised as a passport for workers to gain access to oil and gas facilities.

The Australian upstream petroleum industry faces many staffing challenges including: difficulties recruiting staff for new developments, competition from overseas projects for construction contractors, and the imminent retirement of an aging workforce. This growing employment demand and limited labour supply has created a strong competitive recruitment market that is characterised by skills shortages. Consequently, the industry is having to recruit workers from non-traditional labour pools and engage contractors whose workforce has limited oil and gas experience. Many of these workers are not familiar with petroleum industry processes, safety procedures, or environmental hazards.

APPEA is supporting the development of the Induction Program to raise awareness and commence acquisition of these petroleum industry competencies; to facilitate wider staff recruitment; to up-skill contractors’ workforces; and, reduce repeated induction training while ensuring safety standards are maintained. The Induction Program will establish a qualification underpinned by a competency- based approach that is recognised as the minimum standard of entry level training for all workers in upstream petroleum workplaces. The Induction Program will be delivered through a national network of purpose-built Induction Centres designed to provide practical hands-on training in a simulated workplace environment.