Evolution of the Nature and Application of Competence in the Learning and Development of Oil and Gas Industry Personnel
Authors: Connor John , Butterworth Mark , Casey Karen , Eddon Geoff , Kapela Jared , Maduka Chidinma , Osman Moustafa 
Published: May 2016

The term "competence" is generally understood to mean, "the combination of awareness, knowledge, skills and attitude that an individual must demonstrate in order to meet the performance standards required of his or her job." Although the primary use of competence in the international oil and gas industry has been and continues to be the identification and closure of skill and knowledge gaps, new and varied uses are being introduced and refined.

Some of these new applications include recruiting (especially in cases where large numbers of nationals are needed for new projects), streaming trainees in entry-level training programs, proving employee competence to government regulators before being allowed to work in environmentally sensitive areas and planning and implementing nationalization of key managerial, administrative and technical positions.

The expanded use of competence in various human resources activities comes after a steady refinement of the competency concept over the past three decades, from paper-based applications to sophisticated, multi-module computer software programs. Even the notion of "competencies" has evolved during that period, from a beginning as generic, broadly applicable characteristics, to "topics" and finally to the task-based models commonly used in the international petroleum industry today. This paper will begin by briefly tracing this evolution, highlighting examples in exploration and production organizations from the early 1980s to the present. It will then look at specific real-world examples of the "new" uses that have been introduced in recent years. Finally, it will try to gaze into the future to predict further evolution and future uses of competence in the learning and development of oil and gas industry personnel.

Introduction

The challenge faced by oil and gas companies around the globe is to achieve strong returns on their assets while maintaining the highest standards of operational safety and efficiency. This requires competent and skilled personnel, a task made all the more difficult because on an ageing workforce, a shortfall in the qualified labor pool and increasing government oversight (Donohue, 2013).

Regulators are putting increased pressure on companies in the oil and gas sector to prove that their people are competent. Here competency management is about much more than an individual's personal development; it is one of the principal means to ensuring reduced environmental risks and for assuring the safety of others. In today's world, the imperative is not only to assure the competence of employees but also to prove it (Andrews, 2014).

The term "competence" is generally understood to mean, "the combination of awareness, knowledge, skills and attitude that an individual must demonstrate in order to meet the performance standards required of his or her job."

Since there are no universally accepted definitions related to competency management, for clarity of understanding we offer this brief glossary of terms used in this paper.

Competence: The combination of awareness, knowledge, skills and attitude that an individual must demonstrate in order to meet the performance standards required of his or her job.