A new online tool will help skilled workers in the oil and gas sectors find job opportunities in the wider engineering sector, supported by the pipeline of large energy and infrastructure projects. 

The existing Talent Retention Solution scheme, which is currently used by over 1,000 companies in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, will now be supplemented by an additional website specifically for those working in the oil and gas industry. EngineeringUK estimates that the economy will need over 180,000 people with engineering skills per year to 2022.

The measures are outlined in the Oil and Gas Workforce Plan published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to ensure the industry can better plan for future workforce requirements over longer-term timescales, given the highly cyclical nature of the sector.

Business Minister Anna Soubry said:

“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.”