With a diploma in automation, Ailin Løkke Øvrebø could do a lot offshore. But she fell short in some areas. That is why she also took a certificate as an electrician. Now she uses one helicopter seat, uses one cabin and can do two jobs. – What tempted me was being able to do more tasks and having an understanding of the whole job. Then there is a bit of a sense of mastery in having two diplomas, says Øvrebø. Alongside her job as an automatic technician, she got an apprenticeship as an electrician at Aker Solutions. – I worked as usual with the same salary, but then I got a little more tasks within the apprenticeship. And teaching in the evening, she says. And Øvrebø is not the only one. Several do like her and take more than one vocational certificate. Ailin Løkke Øvrebø likes to show off the vocational testing station Kristian Scheie has to learn when he is going to take his second vocational certificate. Photo: Kristoffer Apall Practicing on the job This trend is positive for Aker Solutions, and they are therefore making arrangements for the apprentices to get the support they need. Olav Botnen, manager of the service department at Aker Solutions, holds courses and prepares professional tests for apprentices in electrical and automation. Olav Botne, manager of the service department at Aker Solutions AS, appreciates the fact that young apprentices are coming into the company. Photo: Kristoffer Apall – It is very exciting to bring in new apprentices with a lot of new knowledge from the school. This means that we have to sharpen our senses ourselves, and we also learn a lot from them, says Botnen. He believes that it is positive that people take more professional certificates because they are better equipped personally. In addition, the employer can send fewer people to solve assignments offshore. – It is not certain that you need an electrician for 14 days, maybe only 12. But you may need an electrician for two days and then it is practical to be able to send one person for both tasks, says Botnen. In a few months, Aker Solutions will move into a new workshop hall at Foss Eikeland. This hall will be characterized by the fact that they focus on the further development of the employees. – We try to make the best possible arrangements for our apprentices to practice and take the professional test with us, says Kjell Gunnar Haugeland, head of foremen and installation at Aker Solutions. Kjell Gunnar Haugeland, head of foremen and installation at Aker Solutions AS, believes this trend contributes well to staffing logistics. Unconditional cheers from trade union leaders Hilde-Marit Rysst, leader of the oil-heavy trade union Safe, is basically positive about employees taking two professional certificates to increase their skills. At the same time, she warns employers who believe that such an increase in skills means that staffing can be reduced. – It is not certain that you will manage everything within two weeks offshore. I have trouble imagining that setting aside 12 days to be an automatic mechanic and two days to be an electrician would actually work. In that case, this is something employers must be very aware of, says Rysst. Safe manager Hilde-Marit Rysst. Photo: Rolv Christian Topdahl / news She believes that employees and the companies must get together to find out how the parties can best benefit from oil workers with dual professional certificates. – From the desktop, this looks good. From our side, there is a bit of restrained jubilation when we see that this is a trend, says the union leader. More people taking professional qualifications on the NCS The proportion of employees in the oil industry with professional qualifications has gradually increased since 2016. Employees without formal education are being replaced by employees with professional qualifications or higher education. At the same time, the average age in the industry is increasing: the researchers see signs of two “missing generations”, and indicate that the ranks are thin in the age groups 20-24 and 35-42 in the oil industry. This may be due to low recruitment when oil prices plunged around the turn of the millennium and in 2014. Source: Norce report (2022) Will offshore The classroom at the Training Office for Industrial Affairs in Rogaland (OFIR) is becoming increasingly full, and just under half of these are apprentices over 21. – Many people take vocational certificate number two and some take number three. In addition, we get an influx from other industries such as carpenters and mechanics who want to work in industry, says Ove Johan Aklestad, general manager of OFIR. Ove Johan Aklestad, general manager of the Training Office for industrial subjects in Rogaland, accepts apprentices of all ages. Photo: Kristoffer Apall Kristian Scheie now has an electrician certificate and his goal is to be able to do the same as Ailin Løkke Øvrebø when he finishes his second certificate. Kristian Scheie, employee and apprentice at Aker Solutions AS, he is looking forward to traveling to the North Sea. Photo: Kristoffer Apall – It will be much the same if you work as an electrician. You install a socket here, and then you drive to the next customer. It will be nice to be able to have a slightly more varied working day, says Scheie. As an apprentice with a full-time job, there can be long evenings of reading. – It’s challenging, but that’s how we like it. That’s how we learn, says Scheie and smiles. If you are employed with several professional certificates, you can also expect a salary jump, but this was not the most important thing for Scheie. – I was only thinking about more competence and experience. Then comes more salary as a bonus.
ttn-69
Several offshore workers take up to three professional certificates – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
