recruiters’ new energy division - eeegr

NEWS

EEEGR Awards 2017 previewEnter now

DecommissioningFirst topside recycling project for Great Yarmouth facility

Skills for Energy 2017Engage with your future workforce at SfE event

Issue sponsored by:

Recruiters’ new energy division

July 2017

2

Member News03 East Anglia ONE contributes to make East of England

construction hotspot.

05 3sun Group trains 12 ex-military for wind jobs.

06 EEEGR Awards 2017 preview.

Focus on…08 Renewables – Multiple dividends of offshore wind.

10 Oil & Gas – Collaboration key to successful

decommissioning.

12 Nuclear – Jobs to rise in 80-year legacy.

Member News16 First topside recycling project at Great

Yarmouth decommissioning facility.

Tidal Transit wins longest contract.

17 Tools from Great Yarmouth keeping offshore cranes

working worldwide.

Skills for Energy20 Skills for Energy 2017 event preview.

21 East Coast Internships 2017.

22 Energy Skills Foundation Skills Programme

students move on.

23 East Coast College sets out its vision.

Contents

July 2017

The publisher cannot accept responsibility for accuracy, legality or reliability of information in this publication although the utmost care is taken. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of EEEGR.

08 Focus on Renewables

12 Focus on Nuclear10 Focus on Oil & Gas

Visit our website for the latest energy stories and events, and to download this and previous versions of EEEGR News.

www.eeegr.comContactEEEGR (East of England Energy Group)

Designed and produced by TMS Media www.tms-media.co.ukUnit 4 Ground Floor,Wellington Park,Excalibur Road,Gorleston NR31 7BB

T: 01493 412199E: [email protected]

EEEGR’s mission is to be the source of new opportunities and knowledge to enable member companies to strategically grow their businesses.

EEEGR's mission statement

Next issue: Compentency and trainingEEEGR News is for members to share their news.

If your company or organisation has a new contract, is expanding, re- locating to larger premises or is releasing a new product, please get in touch.

Send in your stories of no more than 200 words, in a Word document with a separate high quality photo in jpeg format. To promote your business by advertising in EEEGR News, please contact the EEEGR team.

Editorial deadline: Friday 13 October, 2017.Email: [email protected]

EEEGR NEWS | JULY 2017

3Welcome

EEEGR / SfE Events

July 2017

25 Leavers’ Link – Norwich Maids Head Hotel, Norwich.

September 2017

14 EEEGR Awards & Dinner 2017 Dunston Hall, Norwich.

14 ScottishPower Renewables Golf Day

Dunston Hall, Norwich.


At the forefront of UK energy production

jobs to its prime site offices in Lowestoft. With SSE’s acitivities firmly established in the town and Statoil’s activities in Wells for Sheringham Shoal, all demonstrate how our region’s ports are developing with offshore wind.

In Oil & Gas, the East of England figures large in the Oil & Gas Authority’s (OGA) Tight Gas Strategy published last month, with the SNS Rejuvenation Special Interest Group (SIG), a joint project of EEEGR with the OGA, to be used as a vehicle to implement a number of the strategy’s priorities.

The tight gas strategy can be seen on EEEGR’s website www.eeegr.com and the OGA’s www.ogauthority.co.uk

Ideas from a successful Hackathon in May are now being considered by the tight gas group, led by Kathy Heller, of Shell, driving hard to see what technological solutions there are.

We are delighted that Rob Hastings, formerly of the Crown Estate, now CEO of Indigo Power, has agreed to chair the work stream, Oil & Gas Working with Renewables, and Theo Bergers, of Oranje-Nassau Energie is leading the Nether-lands-UK best practice group.

With the hope of Sizewell C on the horizon, our region is firmly at the forefront of energy production in the UK.

October 2017

13 EEEGR Annual General Meeting

Imperial Hotel, Great Yarmouth.

18 House of Commons Reception

Members’ Dining Room, London.

18 Suffolk Skills Show Trinity Park, Ipswich.


If anyone needed convincing about the impor-tance of the the East of England energy hub to UK plc, news headlines underline what we have been saying for years.

Earlier this month, Norwich and East Norfolk was revealed as a UK construction hotspot with more than £2.7 billion worth of construction contracts, boosted significantly by last year’s largest contract award to ScottishPower Renewables for the £2.5 billion East Anglia ONE offshore wind farm off our shores.

As offshore wind helped Norwich and East Norfolk achieve a value growth of 916 per cent and 744 per cent respectively in the Regional Construction Hotspots in Great Britain Report, 2017, Vattenfall, developers of Norfolk Vanguard and Boreas, revealed its intention to invest in Peel Ports Great Yarmouth to create its operations base for the 1.8GW projects, estimating up to 150 skilled wind farm technician jobs.

Vanguard’s Project Manager Ruari Lean said: “It’s clear to me that offshore wind promises real economic benefit to Norfolk.”

All along our coast is feeling the benefits of offshore wind investment – Galloper Offshore Wind Farm developer innogy held a supply chain breakfast at Harwich, the site of its O&M base, and James Fisher Marine Services is bringing new

“ Norwich and East Norfolk was revealed as a UK construction hotspot with more than £2.7 billion worth of construction contracts ”

Catalyst for the energy industry

November 2017


29 Skills for Energy 2017 International Aviation Academy

- Norwich (IAAN).

December 2017

14 EEEGR Christmas Ball 2017 Dunston Hall, Norwich.

Simon Gray, EEEGR CEO.

4Member News

Installation vessel transports ‘made in Great Yarmouth’ Galloper towers

Swire Blue Ocean jack-up vessel Pacific Orca has been a regular visitor at the port of Great Yarmouth, supporting turbine installation at the 336MW Galloper Offshore Wind Farm off the Suffolk coast.

The vessel was kitted out with 850 tonnes of sea- fastening equipment and extra technical equipment at Esbjerg in Denmark, ahead of arrival in Great Yarmouth to carry the 56 Siemens 6MW turbine towers, nacelles and blades from the Siemens’ pre-assembly site for installation.

A 40-strong technician team from Great Yarmouth- based company 3sun Group has been working with the Siemens team at the port base providing local content assembling the towers, which, standing at nearly 100m tall, dominate the skyline at Peel Ports’ North Terminal.

The legs of the installation vessel are 105m long - allowing the vessel to jack-up in up to 75 metres of water.

On board the vessel are 111 single berth cabins and a 70-seater restaurant, a fitness suite and two cinema lounges.

Jack-up vessel Pacific Orca at Great Yarmouth Port for load out of turbine towers and blades for Galloper Offshore Wind Farm.


3sun Group trains ex-service personnel for offshore wind jobs

Different thinking to save £100mon new pipeline

3sun Group put 12 ex-armed forces personnel through wind turbine technician training at 3sun Academy with the prospect of moving straight in to its workforce.

They underwent three weeks’ training, worth thousands of pounds each, building on their engineering skills for new careers outside the forces.

Successful candidates could be working on wind farms around the UK and abroad as soon as next month for 3sun Group’s Dawson Energy division.

Aged between 23 and 57, the men on the Military Transition Programme course all served in the Army, RAF or the Navy.

A pioneering project to bring a decommissioned Southern North Sea gas pipeline back to life is offering supply chain companies involved in the work a deferred “significant” payment on production.

Production through the revived Thames Gas pipeline is estimated at 150 MMcfd at its peak by 2020, flowing enough gas to heat nine million UK homes for a year by 2020. The ‘different thinking’ will save £100m on new pipeline.

The 90km decommissioned pipeline, which comes in at Bacton in North Norfolk, was bought by Independent Oil & Gas (IOG) for £1 this year to be recommissioned to bring in more than 500 BCF of gas from IOG’s wholly-owned gas hubs.

IOG Chief Executive Mark Routh revealed at an EEEGR event in Norwich that it planned to drill ten wells, lay over 70km of new connector pipelines and install up to five new platforms for its Blythe and Elgood and Vulcan Satellite hubs.

“This has never been done before,” he said in his first public speech about the project, which has a total £300m capex estimate.

Acquiring the pipeline from Perenco, Centrica and Tullow cost £1, with IOG taking on all future liabilities, amounting to more than several million pounds.

“We have been looking at all elements of the supply chain and we are talking to people in the East of England”, said Mr Routh.

Supply chain companies interested in being involved are invited to get in touch at [email protected]

Ex-service personnel at 3sun Academy with Andy Holyland, Head of 3sun Academy, and academy staff.

Their training is part of 3sun Group’s commitment as one of the first companies in the East of England to sign the Armed Forces Covenant to help service leavers find new careers.

Graham Hacon, CEO of 3sun Group, said ex-military were target employees because of the quality of their technical training, attitude, mind set and professional experiences.

“Their ability to work under pressure away from home in harsh environments, their attitude and the fact they are are used to following process and procedures and can all think on their feet makes them ideal for our roles.”

Andy Holyland, Head of 3sun Academy, said the market cost of the training was more than £10,000 each - £500 a day.

www.3sungroup.com

5

IOG chief executive Mark Routh.

6EEEGR Awards 2017 Preview

EEEGR Awards celebrate energy sector success stories

A networking lunch will follow, during which voting cards will be collected and the judges will make their decisions. The awards are then handed over during the dinner, along with the prestigious EEEGR Member of the Year Award.

This year the 14th annual EEEGR award categories are different – and more aligned to the Special Interest Groups, whose workstreams mirror EEEGR’s current priorities.

EEEGR CEO Simon Gray said: “So much great work goes on within the energy sector in the East of England for the benefit of companies’ clients, but it often goes unrecognised in the wider industry.

“The EEEGR awards aim to put that right by giving well deserved plaudits to people, businesses and organisations whose innovation, enthusiasm and drive could otherwise go unsung. We are looking forward to another exciting crop of entries this year.”

Entries are now open. All entrants must be members of EEEGR. The deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday 18 August.

Find the entry criteria on the EEEGR website www.eeegr.com/events

The best people, companies, ideas and technology in the East of England’s energy sector will be celebrated at the annual EEEGR awards this autumn.

Each year the awards highlight all that is best about the industry in the region – and showcases the winners at a gala dinner.

This year, the awards and dinner are on Thursday 14 September at Dunston Hall, near Norwich. They aim to reflect the quality, diversity, innovation and flexibility of companies in the energy mix, and highlight the importance of the East of England energy sector to UK plc.

The awards recognise outstanding individual and corporate achievements and how companies are hatching and harnessing new ideas to move the industry forward during exciting but challenging times.

Last year was highly competitive with 15 finalists, who were whittled down by the combined vote of a Dragons’ Den-style panel and audience verdict during the afternoon, set against a set of pre-selected criteria.

Awards:> Innovation - sponsored by Galloper Wind Farm Ltd> Skills for Energy - sponsored by Vattenfall> Trade Apprentice of the Year - sponsored by ECITB> Collaboration - SNS Rejuvenation SIG - sponsored by The Oil & Gas Authority> Value to Industry - Late Life & Decommissioning SIG (seeking sponsor)> Best Application of New Technology - Marine SIG (seeking sponsor)> Best Regional Contribution to Local Content - Offshore Wind SIG

(seeking sponsor)

Sponsor an EEEGR AwardContact us01493 [email protected]

Enter now to be a winner like last year’s successful companies.


7

Last year’s winnersTimetable for the day

Dinner details

> Lifetime Achievement Award – EEEGR founder John Best > Best Energy Project – Sembmarine SLP, Dudgeon Offshore Wind

Farm Offshore Substation> Innovation – 3D at Depth, subsea laser (LIDAR) for measuring and

modelling underwater assets > Cost Reduction and Collaboration – Windcat Workboats, Windgrip

system for crew transfer> Best Skills Initiative – Great Yarmouth College and Lowestoft

College, Energy Skills Foundation Programme course> Judges’ commendation – Pharos Marine Sims Systems,

apprenticeship programme> Member of the Year – Gee-Force Hydraulics, industrial tool supplier

3.00pm – Arrival & registration

3.30pm - 6.30pm – Finalists’ presentations

6.30pm – Drinks reception in marquee

7.30pm – EEEGR Awards presentations & Gala Dinner

11.00pm – Carriages

The dinner is an excellent chance to entertain staff and clients and network with industry colleagues.

Dress code for the event is smart business wear.

Single tickets are £75 + VAT for EEEGR members (£150 non-members), or book a table for £750 + VAT for members (£1000 non-members).

Dunston Hall has parking for 300 cars. It is four miles from Norwich rail station and eight miles from Norwich International Airport.

For more information about the awards visit the EEEGR website’s events section www.eeegr.com/events or call Siofra Driver or Sophie Wilson on 01493 412196 / 412190.

More about the event venue Dunston Hall, Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR14 8PQ at www.qhotels.co.uk/our-locations/dunston-hall

Changes in the EEEGR teamSam O’Hara has joined the EEEGR team as General Manager.

Sam brings an extensive knowledge of the industry and management expertise to the team after a career in energy.

Her early focus will be on EEEGR member benefits and its commercial activities.

She will be contacting and meeting members to discuss the benefits they value or any they would like EEEGR to develop.

Philippa Warren has also joined the team to lead on EEEGR’s four Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and look after major contracts and key relationships. Philippa also has a wealth of offshore and contractual experience.

Kerry Carter is providing cover while Charlotte Upcraft, Skills for Energy Programme Support Executive, is on maternity leave.

Contact the EEEGR team on:T: 01493 412199E: [email protected]

By Stephen Rose, SSE’s Head of Wind Generation

Focus on Renewables

Offshore windsuccess can paymultiple dividends

Images courtesy of SSE.

BY 2021, OFFSHORE WIND ALONE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE OVER 10 PER CENT OF THE UK’S ELECTRICITY. WHAT A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT THAT WOULD BE FOR THE INDUSTRY WHEN YOU CONSIDER ITS JOURNEY WOULD ONLY BE THREE DECADES OLD BY THEN.

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9

Last year, I wrote an article on how offshore wind was evolving into being an integral part of the UK energy mix.

The world’s first ever offshore wind farm, Vindeby, was commissioned in 1991 off the coast of Denmark. In 25 years, the offshore wind industry has grown from 450kW turbines close to shore; to turbines that now produce nearly 20 times as much energy – like the 9.5MW turbines now available from Vestas.

Today, my focus is on the future. What are the prospects for energy companies like SSE who are keen to continue the success of offshore wind for the generations to come?

Well, the aim is simple. By 2021, offshore wind alone has the potential to generate over 10 per cent of the UK’s electricity. What a fantastic achievement that would be for the industry when you consider its journey would only be three decades old by then.

So are we going to get there? For the past seven years my base has been the 140-turbine Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm, which we own with innogy, that generates up to 500MW off the Suffolk coast, but that’s merely the start of SSE’s offshore ambitions.

In Scotland, great progress is being made, along-side our JV partners, at our current development of the 588MW Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Ltd (BOWL) site in the Outer Moray Firth. It’s one of the largest ever private investments in Scottish Infrastructure at £2.6bn, and the offshore turbine foundations have already started to be put in place, with the whole project due for completion in 2019.

And looking forward, SSE has ambitions to build offshore at Dogger Bank (which SSE owns in partnership with innogy and Statoil). It’s located over 130km from the coast and has a total potential installed capacity of 4.8GW across four projects. We also have the Seagreen JV with Fluor in the Firth of Forth in Scotland with another 1.05GW consented. With the costs of offshore wind coming down, this technology can help ensure the UK has secure and affordable electricity while staying on track to meet climate change targets.

Government should ensure the mechanics of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) framework continue to be appropriate to support this new scale of development. This would include relatively straightforward amendments to the CfD framework such as a review of the Milestone Delivery Date (MDD) timescale and ensuring that appropriate delivery years are made available in future auctions.

Such changes will ensure the CfD framework can accommodate larger projects, whilst delivering more competition in the CfD auctions, and improving deliverability. UK customers will also benefit from the Govern-ment’s ambition.

Likewise UK plc is another winner in the offshore wind story. For example, Beatrice is being developed with a number of UK-based supply chain companies. It is expected to deliver around £680m into the UK and Scottish economy via employment and supply chain opportunities during the con-struction phase, and a further £400m-£525m during the wind farm’s 25-year operational life. The project exemplifies the success that can be derived from government’s support for a sector with immense economic opportunities.

So the progress to date has been exciting and offshore wind offers the UK real bang for its buck when it comes to delivering for a low carbon economy. Let’s hope there’s plenty more to come and, as a leading developer in this sector, SSE is more than ready to play its part.

“ Government should ensure the mechanics of the CfD framework continue to be appropriate to support this new scale of development. ”

Focus on Oil & Gas

UNDOUBTEDLY, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY OFFERS THE INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER, IS THERE ENOUGH ACTION TO BACK UP THE TALK?

Images courtesy of Centrica.

“ The challenges of ageing infrastructure, small pools, tight gas and potential for application of emerging technologies make this basin the ideal area for collaborative working to really move the dial over the coming years.”

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11

With tales of collaborative activities coming from all corners of the UK Oil & Gas industry, the term ‘collaboration’ is starting to lose some of its emphasis, and even beginning to feel over-used. Undoubtedly, working collaboratively offers the industry opportunities to be more efficient and effective, but as we continue to talk about working together, is there enough action to back up the talk?

New approaches across the asset lifecycle

As the birthplace of UK offshore gas production, many of our Southern North Sea (SNS) assets are now entering the decommissioning phase. This offers a tremendous opportunity as a new phase of activity opens up and is a chance to shape how we apply collaborative working practices to SNS-based activities such as sharing rigs, project scopes and timetables.

Encouraging steps are being taken in supply chain-to-operator relationships, with possible alliances emerging and risk being shared so that the challenge is in the hands of the technical expertise required to solve it. This can only succeed where an operator can share a clear strategy for asset decommis-sioning – made more difficult by the many cases where field partnerships are not aligned on decommissioning plans and timing.

The same can be applied at the beginning of the field lifecycle, where collaboration is just as important. Reduced development costs and a greater certainty in development plans have the potential to be unlocked by the coordination of hub developments, combined with open engagement with infrastructure owners.

This approach has been put into action in the SNS via the West Sole Catch-ment Area (WSCA) collaborative working group. Under the guidance of the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA), the WSCA operators (Centrica, Dana, Hansa and Premier) and infrastructure owner (Perenco) are working together to assess viability of coordinated development concepts, which has the potential to maximise future recovery from the West Sole area.

Collaboration to unlock SNS challenges

A cross-industry opportunity exists to specifically address the unique challenges faced by the SNS through a more focused approach to collaboration. The challenges of ageing infrastructure, small pools, tight gas and potential for application of emerging technologies make this basin the ideal area for collaborative working to really move the dial over the coming years.

In May, more than 80 delegates had the opportunity to be part of SNS- focused collaboration in action at a Tight Gas Hackathon. Supported by the OGA and EEEGR, and facilitated by Centrica’s Pioneering Practitioners – experts in encouraging and helping to develop new ideas and ways of working – this event had the aim of translating the idea of collaboration into real action.

The group, spanning academia, supply chain and operators took part in small sessions focused on the specific challenges of getting more from the tight gas reservoirs, which hold an estimated 3.8 Tcf of gas. The potential of these resources was set out in the OGA’s SNS Tight Gas Strategy, published in June, which poses the challenge, and reward, that industry can address.

By describing the key areas influencing tight gas developments, the groups were able to tease out ideas for action. Of the hundreds of ideas discussed across the day, recurring themes emerged around knowledge and data sharing on central databases and the ability to use test beds where new technology can be promoted and trialled, along with require-ments to look outside the SNS to draw in knowledge from other basins.

To move the ideas identified at this event forward is now the responsibility of the SNS Rejuvenation Special Interest Group, which will be identifying workstreams to take forward. This next step is so often the missing stage in translating the discussion of collaboration to action.

Collaboration iskey to successful decommissioningBy Carla Riddell, Southern North Sea Asset Manager, Centrica E&P

12

The NIA’s Nuclear Jobs Map shows 65,000 people employed across the UK’s civil Nuclear sector, with almost 2,000 of those based in the East of England.

The sector as a whole creates high-skilled, well paid jobs in areas of the country where jobs are often hard to come by and, with a new-build programme underway, the number of people needed will only rise.

Earlier this year, the government launched its vision for a modern industrial strategy and the Nuclear sector was identified as an important industry to help realise this opportunity.

Focus on Nuclear

SINCE APRIL 2012, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED ACROSS THE UK HAS BEEN STEADILY RISING AND, ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL DATA, IT IS CURRENTLY THE JOINT HIGHEST EMPLOYMENT RATE SINCE COMPARABLE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1971.

By Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive, Nuclear Industry Association (NIA)

Eighty years ofNuclear jobs growth

Images courtesy of EDF Energy.


It’s clear the UK’s Nuclear industry can drive a number of the government’s 10 strategic pillars, as it creates jobs in engineering, manufacturing, construction and decommissioning, all with the potential to be exported across the world.

This commitment to a wide-ranging industrial strategy was reiterated in the recent Queen’s Speech, and the NIA believes the Nuclear sector has an important role to play in delivering a strategy that will “spread prosperity and opportunity across the country.”

We can do this because, as demonstrated by the Jobs Map, there are more people employed in the North West than in London in our sector and the jobs we create provide economic stimulus across all regions.

This means the focus for government must now be on delivering the huge potential stored up in the planned new-build programme and ensuring Hinkley Point C is just the first of a succession of Nuclear-driven economic boosts for the country.

Combined, the Hinkley Point C, Wylfa Newydd and Moorside new-build projects could create more than 50,000 job opportunities during construction, with at least 3,000 permanent roles spread across the three sites once operational. This is in addition to the jobs created by the projects planned at Bradwell B, Sizewell C and Oldbury.

The new-build programme will upgrade infrastructure, develop skills, create opportunities for business, secure inward investment, supplement invest-ment in R&D, deliver clean energy and drive growth across the whole country.

Construction began at Hinkley earlier this year and already there are over 1,500 people currently working on site, meaning the economic benefits of a comprehensive 18GW new-build programme will be enormous.

This is good news. Not only are we building new power stations for the first time in a generation, which will provide low carbon electricity to homes, businesses and public services, but it also shows the important economic role the industry plays in all parts of the UK.

With at least two new-build projects planned around the East of England, we’re hoping to see the number of civil Nuclear employees rise in the area and help create a Nuclear economic legacy that will last up to 80 years through construction and operation.

“ We’re hoping to see the number of civil Nuclear employees rise in the area and help create a Nuclear economic legacy that will last up to 80 years through construction and operation. ”

EDF Energy Apprentices.

Hinkley Point C aerial CGI. 13

14Spotlight on Sponsors - P&S Personnel Services Limited

Resource,Recruit,Deliver.

Recruiting the right people to fit your team is one of the most important decisions any business has to make. Get it right and it brings new energy, ideas, expertise and potentially growth. Get it wrong and it means disruption, unnecessary cost, lost time and momentum. P&S Personnel has a successful track record in many sectors, with clients and candidates across the globe, and is now bringing its expertise and reputation to the energy sector with a new specialist division. It is headed by Sally Spaull who has 11 years’ experience in the energy recruitment world – previously with UKPS, ETPM and 3Sun Group, which like P&S are all based in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Company directors, brother and sister Paul Gibbs and Sharon O’Mahony and her husband Mark, realise it is an exciting time in the energy sector – with waves of windfarm development ahead, both off the East of England and further afield, along with signs of recovery in hard-hit Oil & Gas.

Sally said: “There are huge opportunities, with heaps of candidates wanting to get into the Renewables industry in a very buoyant market for employment – such as wind turbine technicians, high voltage cable technicians and rope access workers. “And there are signs of green shoots and more positivity in Oil & Gas after the biggest downturn for many years. Because people have left the sector or retrained into others there will be skills shortages, but we can help clients find the best possible candidates.” P&S has built up many contacts in the sector but is keen to expand its services to the energy world. It has brought in Sally to provide extra expertise and to develop a specialist team. The company is also looking at expanding its reach to Singapore with a fact-finding visit to explore the growing Renewables and offshore sectors there, and is also interested in China, Thailand and Dubai. Sharon added: “Our business is in a great position and so is the sector – with potential locally, in Europe and worldwide.”

To discuss your personnel and recruitment needs contact:

P&S Personnel Services Limited1st Floor21 Hall Quay Great YarmouthNorfolk NR30 1HP

T: 01493 330338E: [email protected]

Top team: P&S Personnel have set up an energy recruitment division.

Finding the rightpeople with energy


15

Hire and higher - a decade of major growth

Paul’s eye on the ball

Top award for young apprentice YolandaIt began as a brother and sister team working

in an office above a shop. But P&S Personnel has now expanded to a nine-strong staff in a suite of rooms and is heading towards a £5m turnover this year. Sharon O’Mahony’s background is in recruitment, with more than 15 years’ ex-perience mainly working with two agencies – Kelly Services and Hales – with major clients including publishers Emap and travel company Thomas Cook. It was when brother Paul retired as a professional footballer and sought a new career himself that they teamed up to form P&S in March 2006. “He and my husband Mark persuaded me to start our own business. It just snowballed and reached £1m turnover within nine months,” said Sharon. The initial plan was to service the food manufacturing industry, but contacts via Paul and Sharon’s father – a shot blaster and painter – led them into warehousing and Oil & Gas instead. It has evolved into other sectors including: administration, HR, accounts, agricultural, food manufacturing, construction, industrial logistics and distribution, manufacturing, and engineering.

Twenty-year-old Yolanda visited P&S Personnel for a bit of career advice – and ended up with a job. And her qualities have been recognised-with her winning a prestigious Apprentice of the Year award. Yolanda was given the accolade by East Coast College where she is studying a Level 3 NVQ in Business and Administration. Last year she won an “outstanding” award, but this year did one better and collected the top prize at a ceremony staged at Great Yarmouth Town Hall. She is branch administrator, handling tasks ranging from payroll to compliance and new legislation. Sharon O’Mahony said: “Yolanda’s step mum was one of our clients, and she came here for some advice, but we liked her and offered her a job. “She has a great personality and fantastic eye for detail,” she added. “There are hundreds of apprentices with East Coast College and we feel so privileged to have the winning one. It is a fantastic achievement for Yolanda.”

“ It’s a pleasure to work with Sally and the team at P&S. ”

“Innovatum Ltd has experienced ongoing growth within the offshore wind energy sector. This has resulted in the requirement for additional skilled ROV personnel to assist in our visual inspection, cable lay and UXO survey projects. “Sally and the team at P&S have been very professional, with excellent support, ensuring that our specific and challenging resource requirements are always fulfilled, sometimes at very short notice.”

Chris Rayner – General Manager, Innovatum Ltd.

Years of footballing – including scoring a vital penalty at Wembley – have helped Paul Gibbs with his goals in the recruitment industry too. He had 13 years in the game as a full back including spells with league teams Colchester, Torquay, Barnsley, Brentford and Plymouth. He scored a nail-biting last-minute spot kick for Diss Town in their 1994 FA Vase to take the tie to extra time and an eventual 2-1 triumph over Taunton.

The company’s growth is a combination of evolving through its contacts and being driven by the trends of the economy.Sharon added: “During the recession we were glad to be a speedboat rather than an oil tanker and had the ability to change course quickly.” Paul said: “We do not regard ourselves as ‘specialists’ – just good at what we do. Our aim is to be honest and open – and sit and talk with a client to help them get what they want. “You can change people’s lives. I have got great satisfaction from helping a man who was made redundant find a job straight away and saved him losing the family house.” P&S also prides itself on being a family business of “straightforward people” with strong contacts and a reputation for honesty. The business moved from its initial office in King Street to the Euro Centre and then to its current Hall Quay home two years ago. Sharon’s husband Mark recently switched from part-time to full-time finance director, adding strategic vision from 27 years’ corporate experience in the vehicle rental industry. P&S, whose team has a combined 100 years of recruitment experience, has won a clutch of business awards over the past 10 years recognis-ing its corporate and individual achievements.

Paul said: “My footballing background has helped in recruitment. I never get flustered, and always look to think two or three moves ahead all the time. “And I like to have changing room style banter and fun with the team - working and playing hard, but allowing them freedom.” Paul’s move into recruitment came after a string of injuries including breaking his leg playing for Plymouth in the famous last game of the 1998-99 season when Carlisle goalkeeper Jimmy Glass scored in the 94th minute to keep his team in the league.

Proud Yolanda with her award and bosses Sharon O’Mahony and Paul Gibbs.

Not just for kicks - Paul Gibbs’ footballing skills have helped in recruitment too.

Finding the rightpeople with energy

16Member News

Longest-ever contract for transfervessel company

First topside arrives at Veolia andPeterson Great Yarmouth decom facility

Wind farm crew transfer vessels run by a Norfolk-based company have won a five-year extension to their work off the Welsh coast.

The Tia Elizabeth and Kitty Petra, operated by Tidal Transit, have been working on the Gwynt y Môr wind farm off Wales for the past two years.

Tidal Transit, from Docking in West Norfolk, has been providing purpose- designed Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) to the offshore wind industry since 2011.

The company has also supplied vessels to the Sheringham Shoal, Dogger Bank, Greater Gabbard and Westermost Rough offshore wind farms.

Commercial Director Leo Hambro said: “Tidal Transit’s CTVs have played an important part in the construction and maintenance phases of Gwynt y Môr, for the past two years.

“Securing our longest charters to date is a very proud moment for us. We are looking forward to a continued successful working relationship with Innogy Renewables UK Ltd.”

www.tidal-transit.com

The first offshore structure arrived at Veolia and Peterson’s purpose-built decommissioning facility in Great Yarmouth in July.

The Shell Leman BH topside, living quarters for the Leman BT and Leman BK platforms, is to be recycled, and followed at the facility by the 50m-high steel jacket structure.

The contract was awarded by Boskalis, responsible for offshore removal and transport operations. The facility, which has created about 10 jobs with expected expansion as more projects develop, will manage the decon-struction and recycling of the approximately 1,6000 tonnes of materials and assets of the topsides and jacket structures.

Estelle Brachlianoff, Senior Executive Vice President, Veolia UK and Ireland, said: “These are valuable assets in our seas and by decommissioning these platforms we can unlock resources to give them a second, third or even fourth life.

“This latest project will continue to show how we can maximise the recycling of these platforms and drive sustainability in the industry. Our partnership has successfully delivered a number of projects over the last ten years, this latest one will further the growth of the business and local opportunities in Great Yarmouth.”

Peterson’s Regional Director Ron van der Laan said the contract followed two late last year. “It will build on the successes achieved so far and represents a further step towards establishing Great Yarmouth as a centre of excellence.”

www.veolia.co.uk | www.onepeterson.com

“ These are valuable assets in our seas and by decommissioning these platforms we can unlock resources to give them a second, third or even fourth life. ”

Tidal Transit’s CTVs Tia Elizabeth and Kitty Petra have a five-year extension to work on Gwynt y Môr.

The Shell Leman BH topside, the first offshore structure to arrive at Veolia

and Peterson’s Great Yarmouth decommissioning facility for recycling.


17

East’s energy sector heads to Westminster

Promotion of the East’s energy sector and supply chain moves to Westminster on Wednesday 18 October when EEEGR hosts its annual House of Commons reception. The event enables 200 representatives from the region’s energy sector and supply chain to meet Ministers and MPs. This year’s reception (4.30-6.30pm) is hosted by Suffolk Coastal MP Dr Thérèse Coffey. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Tickets £50 + VAT for EEEGR members. More information and booking at www.eeegr.com/events

Special relationship opens US opportunities

A landmark partnership between EEEGR and the Virginia Offshore Wind Coalition (VOW) should open doors in the emerging US offshore wind industry for companies in the East of England. A Memorandum of Understanding between EEEGR and the Virginia Offshore Wind Coalition (VOW), is described as an “exciting and important partnership”.

Survitec Group agrees major five-year contract with Total

Survitec Group has announced a five-year Lifesaving Equip-ment Maintenance Service contract with Total E&P UK Ltd. It covers the offshore Alwyn/Dunbar and Elgin/Franklin fields and sees Survitec, which has a base in Great Yarmouth and others worldwide, provide a full range of life saving apparatus.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Have any news you think EEEGR should know about?

Contact usT: 01493 412199E: [email protected]

Leading bolting specialist supplies equipmentto giant heavy lift vessel in Gibraltar

Free energy saving advice from BEE

Tools from the Gee-Force Hydraulics’ Great Yarmouth warehouse are keeping cranes working on North Sea platforms, giant heavy lift vehicles and projects all over the world.

It supplies torque and tensioning tools to crane giant Alatas, which maintains ship, offshore and mobile cranes across the globe.

The crane giant chose Gee-Force to supply equip-ment for its work in Gibraltar on Technip’s heavy lift vessel Global 1200 - first of two next-generation deepwater derrick pipelay vessels.

Its 1,200-tonne capacity crane is suitable for platform topside installation and removal for decom-missioning.

Gee-Force’s quick turnaround time and reliable service cemented the relationship.

Businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk can ‘BEE’ greener and save money for free, thanks to the Business Energy Efficiency (BEE) Anglia project.

So far BEE Anglia has awarded £93,975 in grant funding for various energy efficiency projects including radiant heating, vehicle tracking, wood burner and lighting. The scope for grant funding has been widened to enable any energy efficiency measure to be considered. Approval will be based on being able to demonstrate sufficient associated energy savings.

The BEE Anglia project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered across the region through a partnership of Ground-work, Norfolk County Council, NWES and Suffolk County Council.

To date the project has reviewed 320 organisations and identified cost savings of £2,096,351 (£6,551 per business), and carbon savings of 21,403t (67t per business). The savings identified are the equivalent of 6407 flights from London to Sydney.

Tim Basey-Fisher, of St. John’s Hall Storage in Beccles said: “Having a BEE Anglia advisor come to our business and take the time to understand our individual needs and requirements was very valuable; the report that they produced for us has enabled us to prioritise improvements to our premises that will have the most significant energy and cost savings and reduce our carbon footprint. The fact they could then help us with a grant towards this was a very welcome bonus.”

The project has three core offers that have been designed to help businesses reduce carbon and save money using independent advice (FREE Energy reviews), grant funding (up to £20,000) and recognition for their efforts (Carbon Charter accreditation).

If your organisation is interested in the service, regis-ter your interest online or call Groundwork. Advisors will be able to answer any queries about eligibility for the programme or potential grant projects.

www.beeanglia.org | 01473 350370

Alatas Service Manager Richard De’Ath said: “About 80% of our work is in Oil & Gas and about 50% of that is around Great Yarmouth, with our main contracts for crane maintenance.

“We are very busy and active in the Oil & Gas sector and are working currently in Malta, Gibraltar, Africa and Europe.

“Gee-Force always reacts quickly to requests.

“We are a service company and have to react to our clients’ needs, which are changing constantly, and Gee-Force staff are very helpful in accommodating our demands.

“Only this morning we called them for equipment and they have got the kit packed and ready to collect. It should be in Malta within three days.”

www.gee-force.co.uk

Gee-Force equipment in use

on Technip’s heavy lift vessel

Global 1200.

18

Simply your ‘Single Source Solution’for all your Fire & Safety requirements. Turnkey solutions, whether its supply, service or hire.

Flameskill Ltd, 1 Morton Peto Estate, Great Yarmouth NR31 0LTT: 01493 440464 E: admin@fl ameskill.co.uk

www.fl ameskill.co.uk

Total Fire & Safety Solutions

• Fire-fi ghting Equipment

• Lifesaving Equipment

• Breathing Apparatus

• Gas Detection

• Helideck Foam System

& Circle H Net Light

• Fall Arrest Equipment

Fully accredited technicians carry out service workin our dedicated workshop and test centre.Cylinder Test, Refurbishment & Re� ll Facility • Drager & Scott Safety Certi� ed Technicians • Foam Test Analysis • Fire Extinguisher Test and Service • Gas Detector Calibration • Lifejacket/Liferaft Service • Offshore & Marine Certi� ed Technicians

Grants up to £50k for innovation in offshore renewable energy.

Let’s talk!

Delivered by:

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t: +44 (0) 1502 563368e: [email protected]: scoregrants.co.uk



19

20Skills for Energy

Work with us to inspirefuture workforce

Building on the huge success of last year’s event, Energise Your Future at the Skills for Energy Conference, delivered in partnership with OPITO, ECITB and other industry partners, our next event, Skills for Energy 2017, has been confirmed for 29 November.

It will take place at the International Aviation Academy - Norwich (IAAN). Our event will be designed to feed the increasing appetite among young people to explore the full range of training and career opportunities in the energy industry and how to access them, especially after the plans announced last month for the new £11.4m Energy Skills Centre to be built at East Coast College’s Lowestoft campus with £10m funding se-cured from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership.

Skills for Energy 2017 will be a unique opportunity in the region to talk directly to and inspire potential employees and showcase companies’ investment in young people and the future.

We can only achieve this with the support of the region’s employers and their commmitment to take the free-of-charge exhibitor spaces and bring along interactive STEM-based activities, current appren-tices and other employees who can talk to young people about their experiences.

Feedback from students and teachers from last year’s event when more than 600 students, parents and teachers connected with energy employers, was incredibly positive, so please help us to make this year’s event bigger, better and even more inspira-tional for our future workforce.

To take part in our exciting event at IAAN, please register your interest with Siofra Driver, Events and Communications Executive.

[email protected], 01493 412196.

Work with us to inspire ambition and aspiration in the next generation of energy professionals.

Gemma HeadSfE Programme [email protected]

Students enjoying a range of interactive activities at last year’s Energise Your Future at the Skills for Energy conference.


21

Celebration of NationalWomen in Engineering Day

Two events celebrating National Women in Engineering Day were aimed at school students.

Connect Education and Business hosted two events to raise the profile and celebrate the achievements of women in engineering, and to encourage more girls to consider engineering as a career.

The events were held at Ipswich, for Suffolk and Norfolk schools, and Cranfield University, for Cambridge and Bedfordshire schools.

Currently, women make up less than 10% of the engineering sector. With a large skills gap looming and the additional need for a more diverse workforce, it has never been more important to encourage girls to choose a career in engineering.

Connect Education and Business in Ipswich is the go-to organisation for employers in Suffolk, Norfolk, Bed-fordshire and Cambridgeshire. It is a leader in the East of England for career planning and work-related educational opportunities for all, currently working with 5000+ employers, 800+ schools and FE colleges and have 2000+ ambassadors.

You can contact the organisation at [email protected] If you’d like more information about any of its services or opportunities look at its website www.connecteb.co.uk

“ This is a great initiative, which gives young people a chance to learn about the unprecedented opportunities offered by offshore wind. ”

East Coast Energy Internships 2017

In 2016, Oliver George was one of four students from Lowestoft Sixth Form College, who undertook the four-week East Coast Energy Internship programme. In 2017, more than 20 businesses and students will be able to benefit from this exciting opportunity, fully funded by The Ogden Trust.

Oliver’s internship project was supported by Windcat Workboats, providing him with the opportunity to research and understand the science, (maths, physics, engineering and design) behind their patent pending Windgrip system. Thereafter to identify the key elements which make it unique and consider the lifetime costs and benefits during transfer operations. Neil Clarkson, Managing Director of Windcat Workboats, was impressed with the quality of Oliver’s work. They met up again at the EEEGR Awards Dinner, where Windgrip won the Best Cost Reduction and Collaboration Award 2016, adding to the RenewableUK Health and Safety Award, 2016.

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive, Hugh McNeal, said: “This is a great initiative, which gives young people a chance to learn about the unprecedented opportunities offered by offshore wind. These students are Britain’s future workforce – highly skilled and highly motivated. The industry has grown a huge amount over the past few years, creating thousands of jobs in the process. It’s important that young people are aware that this industry can offer long-term, skilled employment.”

Oliver is currently studying for a degree in engineering at the University of Warwick.

Please contact John Best, Best Proactive, [email protected] or 07710 680519 for further details.

Neil Clarkson, Managing Director, Windcat Workboats, left, with Oliver George, East Coast Energy Intern and John Best, who manages the scheme.

National Women in Engineering Day event

22Skills for Energy

Explore everyopportunity in an exciting industry,energy course graduate advisesGraduates of an energy course at East Coast College were inspired to explore every opportunity and career pathway by an engineer who was in their shoes six years ago.

Zack Boast told the 17 students completing the year-long Energy Skills Foundation Programme (ESFP) how his career at energy services company Proserv had taken him to Indonesia, Singapore and Aberdeen since finishing the course in 2011.

The mechanical instrument fitter is now a Deputy Team Leader after completing extra Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) qualifications after his four-year apprenticeship, fitting in college studies alongside a full-time job. Zack, 23, said: “This course was brilliant. It will give you access to companies in the industry by the speed- interviewing and other events so you will have already made contacts.”

The ESFP’s steering group is led by EEEGR’s Skills for Energy programme and is made up of representatives from East Coast College, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) and the National Skills Academy Nuclear (NSAN).

Regan Devine was Student of the Year for the Lowestoft campus, and is also starting an apprenticeship at Proserv. Student of the Year at East Coast College Great Yarmouth campus was Joe Johnson, who is moving on to a Level Three energy course at the college.

Students were presented with vouchers from Petans, Horsham St Faiths, worth up to £300 to use against Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET). Presentations were also given by Simon Gray, EEEGR CEO, and Jules Shorrock, Chair of Lowestoft and Waveney Chamber of Commerce.

www.eeegr.com/projects

ESFP graduating students. Back row (L-R) Reuben van Rooyen, Jack Barrett-Knowles, Andrew Milne, Charlie Walton, Jake Docwra, Oscar Cooper, Lewis Stocks and Joe Cates. Front row (L-R) - James Nichols, Kyle Allright, Ryan Betts, Regan Devine, Olly Williams, Joe Johnson, Callum Stokes, William James and Trent Hunter.

East Coast College Energy Students of the Year Regan Devine, (left, Lowestoft campus), Joe Johnson (right, Great Yarmouth campus), with Simon Gray, chief executive of EEEGR.

Former ESFP student Zack Boast at work at Proserv, where he has been promoted to Deputy Team Leader since completing his four-year apprenticeship.


23

East Coast College sets out its vision

Suffolk Skills Show bookings open

East Coast College (ECC) has been presenting its vision and plans by pulling together “the best of both” Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth colleges at a series of events to celebrate their merger.

“This is a really exciting time to be part of something new” said Stuart Rimmer, CEO and Principal.

“The college prides itself on its ability to better equip students for university or an apprenticeship and ultimately successful professions: through the development of soft skills, character and attitude, combined with top quality technical and professional training and links to employers and university. ECC really is focused on turning your passion into your profession.”

At the heart of everything, ECC’s Happy Balance Programme is centred on developing wellbeing to arm students with the tools to develop their social, physical and mental health.

“Healthy, happy individuals make healthy, happy neighbours, relatives and employees. They ensure the sustainability and growth of our local economy and underpin regional growth, so as well as focusing on student progression, education and training we will nurture our students to become the responsible, resilient adults that our region and communities need.”

Its portfolio of apprenticeship provision sits alongside its partner college status of the University of Suffolk.

www.eastcoast.ac.uk

Stand bookings are now open for the Suffolk Skills Show 2017 at Trinity Park, Ipswich, on 18 October, 2017.

The show, in conjunction with Suffolk County Council, is the largest employ-er-led skills and careers event in the area. Last year, it attracted more than 100 exhibitors and 5000 visitors. Using a combination of inspirational hands-on experiences, information and advice, businesses inspire young people to explore educational pathways, skills and apprenticeships, traineeships and internships, or become part of its team.

New for 2017 is Job Hunter, for over 16s. Employers, Apprenticeships Suffolk and colleges will be able to directly advertise vacancies and recruitment timetables to the over 16s attending on the day who would like to find out about career opportunities and vacancies in the area.

The Suffolk Chamber of Commerce is supporting the event again.

The Suffolk Skills Show aims to inform and support young people in:> Meeting local and national employers> Making more informed decisions about their next stage of education

and/or employment> Finding out more about the world of work and the broad range of

opportunities available in Suffolk and beyond

For details on this year’s event and how to exhibit: www.suffolkskillsshow.comContact [email protected] or Boleyn Events on 01473 712330

Busy first six months for icanbea...Nearly 200 employer profiles and more than 1500 users registered with new website icanbea… in its first six months.

The website showcases industry and employers to young people across Norfolk and Suffolk and works to inform and inspire young people about their future careers. It identifies 19 industries and numerous sub-sectors with information on each, linking to real organisations operating locally.

In energy, it already has support from key players including EDF, Galloper Wind Farms Ltd, ScottishPower Renewables, Geotherm Ltd, Gardline, 3sun Group, EEEGR and Flow Energy.

All have profiles explaining what they do, who they employ, what they look for in new employees and how they recruit.

Employers interested in showcasing their companies can take up a free profile. Once set up, icanbea… offers the ability to update profiles with news, events and vacancies, which its team promotes through the school and registrants’ network.

For more information see www.icanbea.org.uk or email [email protected]

Trustees of The Mason Trust talking to local employers about how icanbea… promote careers to young people.

Stuart Rimmer, CEO and Principal, East Coast College.

Hands-on experiences for young people at Suffolk Skills Show.

Skills for Energy2017

Date: Wednesday 29 November,

Venue: International Aviation Academy, Norwich (IAAN)

Lancaster House, Norwich

House of Commons Reception 2017

Date: Wednesday 18 October, 4:30-6:30pm

Venue: Members’ Dining Room, House of Commons,

Westminster, London

The East’s energy industry and supply chain meets MPs and Ministers.

C Places for 200 key people from the industry

C Host, Suffolk Coastal MP Dr Thérèse Coffey

C To book: email [email protected]

or call +44 (0)1493 412196

C Sponsorship available

Engage with your future workforce.

C Free-of-charge exhibitor spaces

C STEM-based Interactive activities

C More than 600 students, teachers and parents

attended last year’s event

C To register your interest email [email protected]

or call +44 (0)1493 412196

For more info or to book visit www.eeegr.com/events

SponsorshipAvailableContact us:+44 (0)1493 [email protected]

recruiters’ new energy division - eeegr

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