Wireline - Summer 2017

Q&A | Energy Jobs Taskforce

Moving forward, we aimto deliver a deeper more targeted approach, helping companies focus on the short-termpriorities while, at the same time, encouraging themto put in place the necessary actions to ensure sustainability and growth in the long term. Wewill continue to support individuals impacted by redundancy through PACE and the Transition Training Fund, with Business Gateway offering great assistance for those looking to set up their own business. Scottish Enterprise has also teamed upwith Aberdeen-based Elevator to deliver a newprogramme, GreyMatters, to bring together professionals fromdiffering functional backgrounds, skillsets and experiences to help generate high growth oil and gas companies of the future. We are also continuing to ensure that the actions the Taskforce identify are not adding new initiatives to the landscape but instead are embedded within the activities of themany support organisations that exist for the sector. A: Our biggest challenge is to ensure we keep the fantasticmomentum we’ve created to help the industry look forward for newopportunities, prioritise innovation and return the supply chain to growthwhere possible. This will help to sustain the future of the industry in Scotland against a backdrop of what will continue to be a challenging global environment. Q:What’s thebiggest challenge for the Taskforce this year?

Q: Doyou think theTaskforcewill still be herenext year?

developing between supply chain companies and operators, which, in turn, are contributing significantly to thewider business efficiency agenda. Q:What has surprisedyoumost over the last 12months duringyourworkwith theTaskforce? A: I continue to be immensely impressed with the resilience of the individuals workingwithin the sector and of the companies involved. Despite this being one of the toughest downturns the industry has seen, we are seeing the leadership in the industry taking the challenges full on andworking tirelessly to resize, implement newways of working, address cultural issues, and look at newopportunities internationally and in newmarkets. I amdelighted to see the inroads that have beenmade in the competitiveness of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) and, as Oil &Gas UK’s Business Outlook has highlighted, the drive to improve competitiveness through cost and efficiency has had a significant impact on the performance of the overall sector. Q: Howdoyou see theworkof the Taskforcedevelopingandevolving this year? A: A big focus for us to date has been on delivering large-scale events to ensure companies and individuals are aware of, and knowhow to access, the significant amount of support available. These have included employment support events, a conference on learning fromother sectors, innovationworkshops, and seminars on leadership, diversification and internationalisation.

A: We knew at the beginning change wasn’t going to happen overnight, but after two years we’re seeing strong progress – collaboration has improved dramatically, efficiency savings are being achieved, and the skills and experience built up over the last 50 years remain focused onmaximising economic recovery in the North Sea, as well as on international markets and investigating additional opportunities in other sectors. Through strong partnership, collaboration, leadership and, above all, hardwork, a significant amount of support and help has reached thousands of individuals and hundreds of companies. The Taskforce has put in place the foundations to ensure the sector remains sustainable in the longer termand I’m pleasedwe’re beginning to seemany of the initiatives we’ve developed being picked up under ‘business as usual’ by both industry, trade bodies and government agencies. I am fortunate to havemany senior leaders fromthe industry around the Taskforce table and I continue to take their counsel on the need for the Taskforce and the role it plays...wewill continue to be here for as long as itsmembers feel it is needed.

www.scottish-enterprise.com/ EnergyTaskforce .

We’ve supported over 800 companies in areas such as innovation, leadership, internationalisation, business resilience and diversification. ” “

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