North Sea oil workers in the UK have been encouraged to look further afield, into the wider Engineering sector for contract opportunities. Demand for roles in locations such as Nuclear Power Stations has soared lately.
A newly launched website has been designed to allocate oil workers to similar jobs in large-scale energy and infrastructure projects.
Research conducted by EngineeringUK estimated that 180,000 people will have acquired engineering skills by the year 2022.
Commenting on the above research, UK Business Minister Anna Soubry states: “The future success of our economy depends on having the people with the right skills in the right jobs, and that’s why it’s vital we retain the talents of our highly-skilled workers currently in the oil and gas industry.
“There is already considerable demand for these skills, whether it’s for nuclear new-build, the fast-growing renewable energy sector or the nascent decommissioning industry.”
Developments within the nuclear plant industry has initiated plans which will look to deliver 16 gigawatts of nuclear power at newly erected plants in Moorside in Cumbria, Hinkley Point in Suffolk and Wylfa on Anglesey.
Contractors are being urged to look further south for opportunities as the Scottish Government has banned the development of new nuclear power stations in Scotland “due to their excessive cost”.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “Engineers and skilled workers in Scotland’s oil and gas sector are world class, and many industries could benefit from their expertise and experience, from major infrastructure projects to new and innovative energy solutions.
“While the sector has been tested over recent years, time and time again it has shown a capacity to rise to the challenges confronting it, and that is due to the resilience and skill of the people working within it.
“This tool will allow other industries to reap the rewards of the talent pool of the UK’s oil and gas workers.”
