Statoil ASA plans to recruit more than 50 skilled workers annually in the coming years to bolster its capabilities on the Norwegian continental shelf.
“We believe it will be possible to maintain profitable and sustainable production at the current level on the Norwegian continental shelf up to 2030 and beyond,” commented Aksel Stenerud, Statoil vice-president, human resources, development and production, Norway. “However, this means that we must continue to attract talented personnel with good qualifications.”
Statoil notes that, due to the industry downturn, vocational education and training in Norway has been significantly reduced, particularly in processing. Applications for apprenticeships have also dropped.
“However, Statoil sees great opportunities for the Norwegian continental shelf,” Stenerud said. “We have projects that are in the process of starting up and several are under completion. We also have a number of projects in the planning phase for possible development.”
He continued, “We need to recruit skilled workers to all disciplines in the coming years. In the first few years, the majority of recruitments will be within processing.” A recruitment strategy for offshore personnel will also address needs and solutions for the firm’s onshore facilities, providing opportunities for professional development.
Dag Unnar Mongstad, a representative of the Norwegian trade union Industri Energi, commented, “The strategy will help to ensure the proper capacity, predictability, and renewal. It is also a response to the workforce attrition we face within these disciplines. We hope this will contribute to a positive trend in the number of applications for education in these subjects.”