Future Skills 2012

The energy industry presents a complex picture – from upstream oil and gas exploration and production, through to energy distribution, use and management, alongside the development of new, renewable means of generating power. But one thing is paramount to each part of our industry – the quality of people behind it. For the people involved in engineering and implementing the striking and sometimes remarkable projects on both the supply and demand side of the industry, skills really are of utmost importance.

The Energy Institute (EI) exists partly to provide knowledge and training, as well as to promote professionalism and good practice, in all aspects of the industry. This is why it has published this, the fourth edition of the annual Future Skills supplement, which examines the education, training and skills issues in energy, and points to opportunities for those working in energy to develop.

This year’s edition takes a look at the provision of the very best advice on energy management for homeowners and industry, highlighting the EI’s solution for quality assurance here – see page 2.

We look at the important skills practices employed across oil and gas organisations – focusing in the UK with BP on page 7, but then moving further afield with Schlumberger on page 22 and Saudi Aramco on page 28. Other articles examine the employment created by growth in the sustainable energy sector on page 8, and at the research skills for developing new energy technologies on page 27.

We gauge the views of those in or about to enter the industry, first by talking to students and recent graduates about their courses and future careers in the energy sector (see page 4), and then by looking at the results of a recent survey on salaries, benefits and views on employers and employees (page 26).

Finally, the supplement can be used as a gateway to more information for those looking to develop their careers in the energy sector.We have guidance on developing your professional status through the EI on page 30. The centrepiece is our learning directory of organisations directly accredited by the EI or which provide EI-accredited courses – which can be used as part of the route to chartered status through the EI – from page 14.

The challenges for the energy industry over the coming years are daunting. Themove to a low carbon energy system, while efficiently providing secure supplies to power the economy at a price tag that is affordable, will need to be achieved in an environment where skills gaps threaten. Key to addressing these issues is to inspire those in early education to follow a science and engineering path that leads into energy. The opportunities that await them are, though challenging, wide-ranging, exciting and rewarding, as this supplement clearly shows.