| Looking at today's Louisiana & Gulf Coast job | | | | contractors who perform offshore work for these |
| boards you will find an excess of willing workers for | | | | operators must: |
| less jobs now than there has been for years. | | | | - Complete training in accordance with SafeGulf |
| You would be forgiven for thinking that a skills gap | | | | approved curriculum |
| could not possibly exist in times like these, but you | | | | - Pass a 100 question test |
| would be wrong. | | | | - Carry a SafeGulf Identification Card (these cards |
| Ask Any Louisiana staffing agency, the majority of | | | | have no expiration date) |
| whom are servicing the Gulf Coast oil & gas | | | | - Be listed in the SafeGulf database |
| industry as well as shipyards and the many fabrication | | | | Beyond this, is the water survival, and also needed is |
| workshops that exist servicing the oil and offshore | | | | fall protection cards. Some contractors insist on skilled |
| industries needs. They will all have a similar story...There | | | | craftsmen to have IRATA certification, all of which are |
| is no shortage of applicants but they don't fit the | | | | also needed to work offshore and on vessels. |
| criteria...Hence, we have a skills gap1 | | | | Of course the recruiters, human resource managers |
| How can there be so many people looking for work | | | | and staffing services can offer to pay for the various |
| and yet there still be a skills gap? | | | | safety and security training, and pass cards but there |
| The answer is simple as many of them do not qualify | | | | is no guarantee that the workers will stay after they |
| due to not having the right skills. There are a lot of out | | | | receive the passes and cards. By simply having these |
| of work welders and fitters from closed down | | | | cards and certificates would make them highly sought |
| manufacturing car factories or steel fabrication plants, | | | | after immediately, and extremely employable. |
| and many of the jobs in the Louisiana and gulf coast | | | | However, due to the risk of a worker getting all the |
| region is for these skills. However, there is a vast | | | | necessary accreditation's and leaving soon after the |
| difference between working in a car manufacturing | | | | Louisiana staffing agencies are not prepared to make |
| factory in Detroit, to working on a shipyard or offshore, | | | | the investment, which can run into thousands of dollars |
| where there are dangers and specific safety and | | | | and can take weeks to acquire all the necessary |
| working practices have to be adhered to. This is a lack | | | | documentation. |
| of knowledge essential to getting work in the Louisiana | | | | You could be forgiven to think that its just a matter of |
| and gulf coast area for these skilled crafts, and it has | | | | retraining and retooling workers with similar skill, who, as |
| to be backed up with he safety & security | | | | mentioned who have lost jobs in other industries and it |
| certificates that are now mandatory to work and gain | | | | might be hard for some people to understand why so |
| access to these workplace environments. | | | | many welders and fitters are not able to work and |
| With an increasing number of law suits, especially for | | | | why there are so many jobs going unfilled. |
| injuries which are often claimed by lower skilled | | | | The issue here, is that the types of skills available are |
| workers who are working offshore, the Louisiana blue | | | | not instantly or easily transferable. Lets go back to our |
| collar temporary staffing agencies and contractors are | | | | comparison with the car manufacturing welders, these |
| reluctant to risk the less trained, and less experienced | | | | have completely different welding skills to what is |
| applicants, for fear of more claims of accidents and | | | | needed for the marine and offshore industries. |
| injury. | | | | So, unfortunately stories of severe shortage of skilled |
| In a marketplace where the USL& H, and Maritime | | | | temp workers and craftsmen such as Tig Welders, |
| Employers Liability (MEL) workers comp insurances is | | | | Pipe Fitters, Flux Core Welders, Inner Shield Welders, |
| extremely costly, these employers are at risk of going | | | | Certified Riggers and Diesel Mechanics are still true for |
| out of business if they incur expensive claims and their | | | | the region. |
| workers comp rate rises. | | | | Louisiana staffing company, Baystone Contractors has |
| Another common problem these days for Louisiana | | | | also tried to find information about getting government |
| and the gulf coast states in particular, is the lack of | | | | funding from the stimulus bill to use for retooling and |
| applicants with (TWIC) Transportation Worker | | | | retraining workers, but despite efforts to get the |
| Identification Credential . TWIC is an important part of | | | | information about how to apply for funds under the |
| the Transportation Security Administration's efforts to | | | | stimulus package and benefit there does not seem to |
| improve security in the Nation's transportation system. | | | | be anyone who can answer the questions. |
| A lack of the correct documentation even if they have | | | | After contacting the Department of Labor and the |
| the right skills means they effectively cannot legally | | | | local Congressman's office for these Gulf Coast |
| work in places like shipyards, refineries, offshore | | | | staffing services and employers there doesn't seem to |
| vessels and rigs and are therefore contributing to the | | | | be any easily identifiable information for to pick up on. |
| skills gap in Louisiana, rather than alleviating the | | | | The whole idea of the stimulus bill was for job creation |
| problem. | | | | and yet Louisiana staffing agents and employers are |
| Then there is SafeGulf...which is the basic safety | | | | unable to get an answer on how it can help them, it |
| training standard developed by four major offshore oil | | | | seems a pity when there is an easily fixable solution to |
| companies: BP, Shell, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. All | | | | unemployed workers and jobs that can't easily be filled. |