Stirling Group Altor Open Doors for O&G Skills Week

An Aberdeen HSE and risk management firm opened its doors to give people a glimpse of how varied a career in oil and gas can be.

Stirling Group Altor took part in the first ever National Oil and Gas Skills Week which welcomed 4,000 people to more than 50 events at venues across the UK.

Organizers OPITO, the industry skills organization, said an average of 1,000 people per day took part in the inaugural National Oil and Gas Skills Week which saw events of all shapes and sizes take place in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fort William, North Shields  and London from November 11-14.

Nicola Laurenson, Project Manager, who organized the event at Stirling Group Altor said, “The week has enabled companies like Altor to show another side of the oil and gas industry, away from the traditional view of offshore workers.

This is a dynamic industry which relies on a huge number of support staff and we were keen to engage with the wider workforce, particularly those with no existing oil and gas experience.

“The feedback on the day was excellent and we were very pleased to support this initiative. We take pride in having a strong workforce and hope to have encouraged more people to consider a career in HSE and risk management services.”

Stirling Group Altor welcomed delegates from a range of backgrounds, including final year RGU Law and Management student Kieren Murphy who heard about the event through his university.

“I have been studying environmental law as well as safety regulations and had previously completed a placement with an oil firm which included emergency response training,” he explained. “I am interested in working in health and safety after graduating, so this was the ideal opportunity to learn more in a practical way.”

Kieren was tasked with the role of Duty Manager, a position he found challenging. “As the key client representative in the room, all decisions came down to me and I had to remain calm while dealing with a very high pressure situation.

“The day was very enjoyable and has given me a good insight into what a career in this area might involve.”

OPITO UK managing director John McDonald said, “The Stirling Group Altor event during Doors Open Day fitted perfectly with the ethos behind National Oil and Gas Skills Week; to give people a closer look inside the industry and see the scale of different careers it offers. It’s about opening people up to the myriad of opportunities, whether it’s in training, study or transferring their skills, so they can see a logical way to join this innovative sector.

“Our hope is that those who took part in the Doors Open Day initiative will have a better understanding of all the exciting and varied roles this industry has to offer.”