Oil rig drillers in Alberta could soon have the chance to earn their tickets as certified tradesmen.
A proposal by the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC) to have oil and gas well drilling
designated as Alberta’s 51st
trade is being considered by the province.
“We’re talking about taking a floor hand or a roughneck who’s probably had a year or two of experience and is
familiar with the rig, and giving them between eight to 10 weeks of training every year for three years, depending on how quickly they move up or if they want to move up,” says Saj Shapiro, manager, economic analysis, for the association, which represents drilling and service rig contractors across the country.
The move would help the industry in a number of ways, says Shapiro.
“Safety is obviously an issue. As new technology comes in and as wells are being drilled faster and deeper, they require more skills and at the same time, hazards are heightened because of the speed and
efficiency . . . we’d like to have some standard level of training that would fall across the whole industry.”
Oil and gas well drillers operate the draw-works, rotary table, pumps and drill pipe on rigs, as well as monitoring the drilling operation and determining when bits need changing. Salaries now are about $31 an hour plus living allowances.
Offering apprenticeship training could also help attract and retain experienced workers, Shapiro adds, as high turnover levels continue to be “a huge issue” in the industry.
Alberta’s apprentice system is industry-driven, meaning the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board works closely with employers to set standards and offer training. This province boasts about 20 per cent of Canada’s apprentices.
“Everything we’ve been told by Alberta Learning based on other occupations and trades is that turnover tends to be reduced if it is an apprenticeship-type program. Even in a cyclical industry when employees are laid off, they tend to come back,” says Shapiro.
To be designated as a trade, an occupation must be able to provide apprentices with sufficient guidance and supervision from a certified journeyman. There must also be broad industry support for the new trade.
Alberta Learning Minister Lyle Oberg says his department will consult with both employers and workers across the industry to assess that support.
Alberta apprentices spend most of their time gaining
on-the-job training, supplemented by formal technical training.
Shapiro says the designation process could be completed within the next two years. Once certified as a trade, all drillers would need to be either certified journeymen or
registered apprentices, with those already working in the field – estimated at about 6,500 skilled workers – expected to possess the same qualifications.
