Client: Educational Institute
Location: Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Challenge: There was a large and growing demand to attract, recruit and develop Saudi nationals at all levels in the oil and gas industry. The industry was actively seeking solutions to train and upskill the national workforce to meet these demands.
National government bodies recognised the lack of basic oilfield training available at recruitment stages and were in need of a partner to improve skills and retention rates of new recruits.
Solution: Aberdeen Drilling International partnered with a leading oil and gas vocational institute in Saudi Arabia to deliver best-in-class drilling training programs and the team operated and managed the institute’s fully equipped Drilling Training Centre (DTC).
The DTC delivered a range of specialist Drilling Diploma and Drill Crew Progression programs developed by Aberdeen Drilling International providing candidates with the essential knowledge and skills required to work safely and efficiently in the oil and gas industry.
International drilling contractors in Saudi Arabia were actively seeking to train national personnel to international standards. In response, our client made significant investment in a Drilling Training Centre (DTC) and sought out a partner to manage all aspects of program development and delivery to ensure international standards were implemented when upskilling the national workforce. The facility comprised classrooms, workshops, rig-floor drilling simulators and a training rig.
In 2014, Aberdeen Drilling International was awarded the first contract to operate and manage the DTC in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Our role was to develop training products around a set curriculum and implement these with the leadership skills and expertise brought by our team of 12 full-time Drilling Instructors and a dedicated Drilling Training Centre Manager. Each program was designed to capitalize on the unique combination of the world-class facilities and the extensive international experience of our Technical Team to implement a performance enhancing and results driven blend of theoretical and practical training.
Candidates were put forward for either the Drilling Diploma Program or the role-specific Drill Crew Progression Program and each program was sponsored by Saudi Aramco and the Saudi drilling community.
The programs formed a critical component of the industry’s training and competency strategy. Seen as one the most successful and all-encompassing Workforce Development programs in the region, our training not only improved safety but also improved retention of new hires and productivity at the rig site.
Aberdeen Drilling International trained over 600 graduates on the Drilling Diploma Programs in the space of 4 years.