Main interview
industry ’ s behalf , but effective collaboration between asset owners , the workforce , and the supply chain is crucial in managing early engagement and mitigating complications .”
EDF Energy is a fitting example of a company that understands this concept ; we have worked closely with them to develop new entrant schemes for Hinkley Point , and plan to do the same for Sizewell C .”
On the other hand , companies must approach early training with caution , due to the risk of project delays or complications . For instance , Andy recalls : “ We trained numerous people in high integrity welding techniques in 2014 in preparation for work on Hinkley Point . Then , the project slipped , and we lost our newly trained workers . It ’ s inevitable that this will happen in some cases and the ECITB is here to take that risk on
A collaborative approach
With this in mind , the ECITB has established ‘ Connected Competence ,’ a competence assurance programme that champions transferability of skills against a base technical standard . “ The scheme was borne from a realisation that competition between contractors over competence is a false economy ,” Andy explains . “ It results in over-specifying training and certifications in an attempt to stay ahead of your competitor , but in fact , it wastes precious resources and is less cost-effective .
“ We also have a training and guidance document outlining tools and techniques that aid collaboration and signposts businesses to collective contract models ,” he adds . “ However , this will be a slow burning process , as it will take decades to embed collaboration as industry best practice . So , we need to gradually , yet continuously , create a framework to promote and enable collaboration amongst businesses .”
Andy proposes : “ It might sound negative , but we need to prepare businesses for major delays and interruptions over the next few years . Projects can inevitably be set back at any stage , and I think we will see more of this in 2023 and beyond . We need to equip businesses with effective contingency planning when it comes to skills investment to deal with disruption .
“ Whilst this might seem like a huge responsibility , I live by the advice of breaking things down into incremental gains . Instead of being overwhelmed with the task at hand , break the project into smaller steps and on completion , be confidently assured that you will meet your overall goal or project demands , no matter how difficult it may seem at the beginning .” ■
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