OPITO, the global skills organization for the energy industry, has made its first move into the renewable energy industry, with the launch of a new suite of safety and technical training standards, and qualifications, designed to address the skills requirements of a net zero economy.
The initial offering is tailored to the offshore wind sector which, together with solar power, is set to dominate the growth of renewables as a primary energy source over the next 30 years.
Offshore wind is expected to lead to the creation of 27,000 highly skilled roles, in the UK alone, by 2030, with the number of jobs in the sector globally forecast to rise to one million by 20503.
OPITO’s new standards give learners the opportunity to choose from a range of products, designed to equip them with the critical skills needed to work across the various aspects of the sector – including scoping and development, construction, operations and maintenance activities.
The Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET) for Renewable Energy standard has been created for those seeking to enter or transition to roles in the renewable energy industry. There are also refresher courses available for personnel already working in the offshore wind sector.
This basic survival standard offers a more flexible approach to individual training needs, with the option to choose from limited or full-access courses. The new product range also features crisis management and helideck standards.
Those starting out in their careers have been catered for too, with two SCQF-accredited training qualifications – an introduction to mechanical and electrical engineering, and renewable energy foundation training. These courses can be used by employers that wish to develop their workforce, and are equivalent to learners at apprentice level looking to achieve SQA Level 3 certification.
“For more than 40 years, OPITO has been at the forefront of the development of a safe and highly skilled global energy workforce, operating in remote, hazardous and highly-regulated environments.
“These new products mark a strategic shift for our organization and will enable us to apply our vast experience to the renewable energy industry, as the energy mix further diversifies. Recognizing the clear synergies that exist across the different parts of the industry, these new products will help to ensure the provision of a multi-disciplined and flexible workforce, now and in the future.”
John McDonald, CEO, OPITO.
All centres providing these products will be subject to OPITO’s quality assurance process.
To support the launch, OPITO has worked with the following training providers: Vulcan Training & Consultancy, Poland; Maersk Training UK; Humberside Offshore Training Association (HOTA), Hull; Petrofac, Montrose; Petans, Norwich and FMTC, Netherlands. Actemium Oil and Gas Training, has received the first approval for delivery of the global renewable energy qualifications, initially at its center in Nigeria, with a view to expand delivery to all of its international training centres.
