Skill survey complete

The Department of Labour and GNS Science have entered into a relationship agreement to work together for the benefit of the oil and gas industry.

Future labour market  needs with regional, national and international contexts is a major focus of the formal relationship agreement signed earlier this year.

The department and GNS Science are members of the Petroleum Exploration Production Association of New Zealand (PEPANZ) oil and gas working group, which comprises industry and government members.

Department Labour Market Knowledge manager Sheree Long, says a comprehensive skill and resource survey of the petrochemical industry, in which the department has been involved, is almost completed.

“This survey is the first phase of a three-phase study to ultimately produce, through industry and government collaboration, a skills and resource plan to address the labour market issues faced by the industry.”

The results of the survey will be released at the New Zealand Petroleum Conference in March 2008.

Long says skilled exploration and production workers are the most sought after by the industry internationally. This includes reservoir engineers, geologists, geophysicists and petroleum engineers.

“After that we need people in engineering and construction, and then managers such as operations, projects, construction, exploration and country managers,” says Long.

Based on the average retirement age in the industry of 55, it is calculated that 33 percent of the energy sector’s workforce will have retired by 2012, and this is a serious prospect for the industry’s labour market, says Long.

On the postive side, the upstream skills in the petrochemical industry are highly portable.

“New Zealand needs to develop, attract and retain people for the industry’s future labour market. We have a lot of advantages to offer in this country – we are small, innovative and working towards sustainable practice.”

There’s also an opportunity to invest more with the youth market, she says, and suspects many young people aren’t aware of what labour market opportunities the industry can offer.

Diane Bradshaw, of GNS Science, is also on the PEPANZ working group.

“GNS Science participates in the monthly PEPANZ working group meetings to introduce commercial business, government agencies to a range of new and emerging data services and processes that place the industry stakeholders more readily at the forefront of innovative development,” says Bradshaw.

GNS Science and the department are involved in a range of initiatives to increase awareness of the industry through relationships with a range of stakeholders. These initiatives include developing educational material for schools and the wider community, local Maori communities, and a roadmap outlining career paths to the sector. 

Both Bradshaw and Long say the PEPANZ working group is optimistic about the future, and is problem solving across a variety of geological, engineering and commercial disciplines.

“The Taranaki petroleum industry and support organisations can provide considerable support for the activities planned for the Great South Basin. This has already begun with the exchange of ideas and information between Southland and Taranaki,” says Long.

GNS Science and the department encourage this type of co-operation at a local, regional and national level.

“It’s in everyone’s best interests to facilitate a robust and co-operative industry.”