People in Energy

ANDREW REID Director, SAFER Training

Background: Andy Reid joined the SAFER Training team in January 2018 and is responsible for the growth of SAFER Training in Scotland and the Middle East, mainly Qatar. "I am looking forward to getting back in the mix and doing what I really enjoy and that is finding the best, safest, cost effective quality training solution that meets our clients expectations."

How did you get into the Energy sector and how long have you been working in it?

I got into the energy sector back in 1989, just after the unfortunate tragedy of Piper Alpha when 167 personnel lost their lives.I was lucky enough to join a great team of people at the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Board (OPITB) in Montrose, known now as AIS Survivex. I was also lucky enough to enjoy 15 years in the Middle East before it was my time to come home to the UK and join SAFER Training Scotland. I have been blessed with working in the energy sector for nearly 32 years, during which I've worked in various parts of the world, meeting so many great people who I have taken great traits from. I'm now utilising those traits to assist towards making SAFER Training Scotland a complete success going forward.

What does your job involve on an average day?

I like to be at our new facilities based in Dyce Aberdeen to welcome every delegate personally into the facilities and have a general chat with delegates, giving them a short introduction to who SAFER Training are and what to expect for the rest of day. I feel it is vitally important for me to meet and greet our clients and make sure they feel welcome. Once the delegates get into the classroom, that’s when I get in to arranging meetings with clients, lots of researching industry, constantly seeking solutions that will make training safer, innovative, cost effective without compromising on quality ensuring the training delivered we offer and deliver is fit for purpose and aligned with current times.

How have you coped personally and as a company with the pandemic?

SAFER Training decided right from the offset of the pandemic that we would reduce class sizes and proud to say we were the first to implement the action. The way we have set up our new facilities was not for volume of delegates, but for quality time training the candidates who have really appreciated the approach we have taken. We have decided to continue with the minimum number of delegates on the courses as we have seen the difference it makes for the learner in how they are really immersed in the tasks given. I personally coped fine with the pandemic and the changes I made, just the same as everyone I had to make certain sacrifices.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

It must be when I was in Qatar, and we won the largest training contract ever awarded at the time. We won a 5-year multi-million-dollar, Health, Safety and Leadership training contract to supply the Qatar Shell GTL Construction Project with all their training needs for a safe and successful project. This has certainly by far been the best project I have ever had the pleasure of being part of. Over the duration of the construction phase we trained over 160,000 personnel from all over the world.

What ambitions have you still got to fulfil professionally in your career?

I will be working hard to make sure SAFER Training are the number 1 training provider of choice for OPITO Offshore Lifeboat Coxswains Training and OPITO Competence Assessor & Internal Verifier Training both here in the UK and Middle East and Africa hopefully within the next 3 years.

Who has been the most influential person in your life professionally?

I would say Mr Ian McMillin, Managing Director of SAFER Training. Ian has been a great friend, coach, mentor, councillor and is always there to help. He has always been fair to everyone who has been lucky enough to work with him, since 2005 when I first met him in Aberdeen and we're still working together in 2021.

Over the next 10 years, what changes would you like to see in the energy sector with respect to D&I?

Upskilling and cross training of personnel in industry as well as in the education training providers sector will require more technology-based training delivery such as simulation and virtual reality training methodology as opposed to the conventional training methodology.

We have seen a massive change in the way training providers are now moving into simulation and virtual reality, there is nothing that can’t be done via such training methods, so come 10 years down the line, I can only see the technology improving more and more and being utilised more and more as we move forward to enhance the training experience and improving competence and confidence by having more interactive, fully immersive training solutions via simulators and virtual reality, making training safer by combining safety and technology removing associated risks within the energy sectors.

Given the experience you have now, what advice would you give a graduate just starting their career in the Energy sector?

I would encourage them to always remember that ‘It is a small world and a long life.' This mantra has been a guiding principle for me since I started my career and is a helpful reminder to treat people well, build relationships, develop your reputation and take a longer-term view about your decisions and actions.