Training fund helps Michael prepare for career in renewable energy
A former oil and gas worker from Perth is ready to take on a new challenge in the wind turbine sector thanks to funding from the Oil & Gas Transition Training Fund.
Michael Hill worked with Petrofac for seven years as a mechanical technician, carrying out mechanical/hydraulic and process maintenance onboard a floating production storage and offloading vessel in the North Sea.
Michael said: “We used to take oil from subsea wells, process it and store it in our cargo tanks. When the tanks were full, an oil tanker would come and we’d offload the oil that we’d produced into the tanker.”
After receiving the news that the vessel he was working on was due to be decommissioned, he realised he needed to think about his next steps.
He said: “The vessel I was working was over 25 years old, and we were told it was going to be decommissioned in the near future.
“I’ve been interested in becoming a Wind Turbine Technician in the renewables industry for quite a while now, but as soon as we got that news I thought I’d better do something about this. That’s when I applied for the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund.”
The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will help increase the pipeline of skilled workers needed as part of the move towards sustainable energy.
Aimed at current or former oil and gas workers living or working in Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire, the fund will help provide access to industry-recognised training required for a range of opportunities in sectors such as such as offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage, covering roles such as welding, electrical engineering, and construction.
Michael saw information about the fund on LinkedIn and received support from Skills Development Scotland careers adviser Gail Veale.
He said: “I went on to the website and got in touch. They told me the fund was currently paused for new applications, but they would let me know when it was open again. Sure enough, Gail got back in touch with me when it was available, and she told me what information they needed from me.
“I then built up a profile, providing supporting evidence that I was eligible to apply for the fund for the training I needed to get a job in the wind industry. Once it was all processed Gail came back and told me it was all approved, so I was able to go ahead and book the training. The funding was approved in October, and I did the training in November.
“The application process was really easy, and the staff were really helpful as well, particularly Gail who was supporting me. It’s quite a lot of information you have to gather but Gail kept me right.”
Michael booked his courses – Global Wind Organisation (GWO), basic safety training and sea survival, basic technical training and GWO advanced rescue training all of which were tailored to the wind industry.
Michael hopes that the training will set him up for a new job in the wind industry.
He said: “I’ve been actively looking and applying for jobs as a Wind Turbine Technician with various offshore wind companies. Prior to Petrofac, I was a Marine Engineer in the Merchant Navy. I’ve been all over the world servicing ships. I’ve always been used to working away, so it’s been offshore wind jobs that I’ve been looking to pursue a career in.
“I’ve got a lot of knowledge and transferable skills, and with my training I’m sure something is just around the corner.”
He added: "I would absolutely recommend applying to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund if you can if you’re in the oil and gas industry and looking to change career into the renewables sector.”
Find out more
Further information regarding eligibility and how to apply can be found at transitiontrainingfund.scot. Anyone looking for advice on their options can call the dedicated SDS customer helpline on 0808 100 1855.