Posted By Garry Adams
To all and sundry,

I have had numerous meetings with members of Parliament;High ranking Trade Union officials and various interested parties, to numeruos to mention at this stage.

During my most resent meeting (23 March) which was held at the Labour Party constituency offices,Aberdeen south,it was confirmed that the present Government are committed to establish an Oil and Gas Academy in Aberdeen.

This new Government initiative will require the collaboration of the Oil Industry Community and in due course members organisations of the aforementioned community shall be invited to engage in joint consultation.

However, the hierarchy of policy makers recognise that it is vital to gain the support of and liaise with individuals involved within the Oil and Gas Industry.

Therefore, in the interest of the collation of a consensus of opinion I take this opportunity to open a new thread of discussion to the forum and invite interested parties to comment on the present Government's commitment to establish an Oil and Gas Academy.

Fraternal regards, Garry...

Posted By Garry Adams
Hi J,

Thank you for your interest in the Oil and Gas Academy.

Firstly, The Oil and Gas Academy has gone beyond the proposal stage, at this point in time it is a Fully Committed Government initiative.

In the interest of mutual time management I shall restrict my reply to your question, to a Brief Summary Profile...However I shall answer any specific question that may be posed to me.

The Academy was conceived out of the need for specialised training to be delivered to Novice Green Hands whom wish to join the Oil and Gas Industry.

Primarily the Academy will deliver training to the Offshore and Associated Shore Based Production/processing Facilities.Initialy the Academy will deliver Construction based training, for example the black Trade's. welders;platers ect...My remit is to create a Faculty of Scaffolding and allied Rigging operation's, it is hoped that Rope Access techniques may be added, for those students whom demonstrate an aptitude for C.A.D. the opportunity to study Scaffolding Design Engineering will be offered in conjunction with HNC/HND + aspire to Degree in Mech/Engineering.

I hope that I have got your thought bubbles going... o.k. come ahead there must be more questions out there Eh...
Thanks J,I hope to hear back from you soon.

Kind regards, Garry...

Posted By Garry Adams
Good day John,

Firstly,thanks for your interest in the Academy...to-date you are the only one who has bothered to respond to my thread.

I find it mind boggling that the Academy has managed to generate enough interest at the other side of the world...yet not one chirp nor murmur for the U.K. Health and Safety Community,

Is it little wonder that our Aussie cousins has managed to create one of the most thrusting and dynamic Countries on the Planet.They have the vision to seize the initiative.Advance Australia Fair...

John your never to old to teach, whats your Industrial back ground?.

Posted By Garry Adams
Hi John,

Yes the Academy would be open to all and sundry
indeed the more the merrier,the long term vision is to train the trainers and to establish satellite Academies through out the Oil and Gas regions on the planet, i.e. Middle-east;Far-east and the Monsoon region.

Perhaps you could open an Academy...there is a need,

Regards, Gerry...slangavar

Posted By AlB
With a background in Quarrying, Manufacturing and Construction H&S Management and a degree in Geology (and experience in such) I have often been interested in the Oil and Gas Industry. However, the leap into Oil and Gas is quite a substantial one. Would the Academy cater for the H&S professional who wanted to take the leap into Oil and Gas?

Anyway, with the UK suffering a shortage of skilled engineers and the "black trades", this Academy could well prove to be very worthwhile indeed.

AlB

Posted By Garry Adams
Hi Jim, thanks for your responce,yes I quite agree I to will believe it when I see it too.

Indeed this may be a vain attempt to sway the vote, North of the border...given the recent up-serge in Scottish Nationalism.

That said,however, the Scots are a canny race and cannot be bought with a promise,furthermore a mans political affiliation is no concern of mine,The Academy will come to fruition with or with out the funding of the Government of the day.

Indeed the concept was firstly conceived by Private Commercial backers...it was the Government who High-jacked the innovation...they do not wont the Oil and Gas Community to have to much power.

The Question of De-commissioning of nuclear power Stations will come to pass in tandem with De-commissioning of oil platforms.

regards Garry

Posted By Garry Adams
The top O the Mornin to ya John and the rest of the day to mi self ,Do you know my Irish cousin then he he,

Yes,seems like there is a global need for every conceivable discipline within the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbin Industries, blue and white collar alike...indeed Aust-Asia Appointments International (www.aaai.com.au) have commissioned a head hunting mob to press gang Oil and Gas Technical/engineering proffecionals For Head office Sydney and satallites in Melbourne,Perth,Brisbane and the Middle-east (Oil/Gas,miningand minerals).

How are your Government responding to the Skills Shortage with you ...are they considering opening Skills Academies? R.S.V.P.

I was interested to here that you into Risk and Safety Management ...Im into loss prevention strategies at the moment..i.e., non -bias Statutory Scaffolding Inspections and commissioning...integraty of structures,torque values,friction stress factors ect...passing interest in Bamboo hybrid structures big market in China just now.

talk with you soon,Beat regards,Garry...down the glen came McAlpines men like a troope of ballet dancers one in ten had served thrir time the rest were *^~#;!$ chancers.

Posted By Garry Adams
Hi Descarte,

Apoligies for the delay in answering your Question,

Yes you have raised a valit point,I would agree with you that Training Providers has reached saturation point;indeed their numbers are likened to Pebbles on the Aberdeen beach,However the Aberdeen Oil and Gas Academy intendes to strive to be a little boulder.

My mission statment is to create a Faculty of Scaffolding;Allied Rigging operations and Rope Access Tecniques.This being the case I shall restrict my answer to your question to within these pisaplines.

First and foremost,it is the C.I.T.B. and E.C.I.T.B. that provide the core corriculum and issue the accreditation to the variouse levels of Scaffolder Training. Furthermore, recognition must be given to the N.A.S.C. for their guidance and valuable contributions to the Access and Scaffolding Industry.

the Oil and Gas Academy merly wish to enhance the level of competancy tought to Novice and Green Hand candidates and by doing so ,raise the candidates awarness of Offshore Scaffolding Culture.Moreover, the Oil and Gas Academy will create and deliver Bolt-On Training Programms which will introduce the Novice / Green Hand candidates to the esoteric Special Scaffolding Structures in tube and fittings which are predominantly found aboard Offshore Installations and allied Onshore processing Facilities.Special consideration will be given to the De-Commissioning of redundant Offshore Installations and the environmental and occupational Health and Hygien concerns associated with low Mutagenic low level Radioactive Shale and Alafatic carsinigins.

The skills tought at the Oil and Gas Academy are transferable skills,they are not exclusive to the Oil and Gas Industry. The present trend indicates that the U.K.Sector is enjoying a bouyant period. However forcasts predict a small strategic reduction in U.K. production starting circa 2011-2012, this is a conservation measure,buy in Persian Gas-to-Oil,

The redundant percentage of the work force will be transferred and deployed to Onshore based Construction Project's. the new generation Nuclear Power Stations and the De-Commissioning of the redundant Old Generation Stations.

Informal discussions are under way with the Education Community in Aberdeen with a view to expand their portfolio to include the Oil and Gas Academy.(there may be a new addition to the campus new kid on the block)

Regards,Garry...

Posted By Garry Adams
F.A.O...j martin...R.S.V.P.

Fraternal regards, Garry...