We’re facing a new wave of workforce change. It's been over a decade since the ‘big crew change’ of 2010–2014 and - much like last time - the next wave of change will be characterized by lost experience and corporate memory.

But this time it’s different. This time, we’re not losing the organizational memory and collective wisdom of a cohort of ‘lifers’. We’re welcoming a new generation of subsea engineers who don’t have it in the first place.

That’s not a criticism of the brilliant men and women entering the workforce. It is, however, a reflection on how poorly education tends to prepare them for life in - or increasingly, out of - the field.

Earlier this year, my colleague, Ricky Govia, talked about “...a growing need for hybrid talent… generalists who combine engineering know-how with fluency in data and software, and have a broader business context.”

Bringing digital natives into the energy workforce presents both opportunity and challenge. Young engineers are naturally tech-savvy. But growing up with tech is no replacement for the industry context and hands-on experience needed to fully understand complex operations and the nuance of life in the field.  

It’s no substitute for the understanding and decision making ability that comes with exposure to the broader, real world environment. An environment where fewer personnel than ever are required to venture. 

A feel for the field

Engineers are on site less and less; but with years of professional experience behind them, this is perhaps less important. They know what a subsea field looks like, they have a feel for the environment, they understand its unforgiving nature and know first hand the criticality of the right decisions.

New recruits will come straight into an industry that no longer gives them so much first hand experience.  

Immersive tools and visualizations can help bridge this gap by bringing the subsea environment to life. Through detailed 3D models, real-time simulations and interactive visual walkthroughs, new engineers can develop a sense of scale, complexity and risk. These technologies allow them to ‘feel’ the field, better understand how systems interact and appreciate the consequences of decisions in a safe, controlled environment. 

Creating context

Deep industry context, which - in fairness - is usually developed through years of experience, provides a crucial foundation for thoughtful, effective decisions. It’s not just about knowing what is done, but understanding why processes and systems exist in the first place.  

While tech-savvy young professionals bring fresh perspectives, digital fluency and a drive to improve efficiency - all of which are incredibly valuable - there can sometimes be a tendency to assume new automatically means better.  

Without appreciating the reasoning or hard-learned lessons behind established practices, well-intended changes can overlook critical nuance. Respecting the knowledge that has brought oil and gas to its current state doesn’t mean resisting innovation, it means using that foundation wisely to identify meaningful improvements.

I talked about the importance of incremental improvement and connected systems in my blog Digitization looks different for everyone. A best practice approach to building a tech stack, no matter the business size, and the sentiment holds true here too; applying to people as well as technology.  

Bridging the context gaps

Tools like FieldTwin help bridge the physical gap by providing immersive visualization, contextual insight and simulation, enabling students and new hires to ‘see’ and interact with physical systems they may never encounter first hand.

Importantly though, FieldTwin also helps to bridge the knowledge gap - key to the next big crew change. Within the context of a project, it preserves critical decisions and rationales so they’re accessible to future teams and project phases. When staff or contractors change, corporate memory remains.

At FutureOn, we’re actively partnering with educational institutions to get ahead of the need to bridge the context gaps and ensure that industry overall is better prepared for the imminent crew change.

Our partnerships with Robert Gordon University and a number of institutions in  Brazil give students free access to FieldTwin, preparing them to step into industry roles with knowledge, confidence and - critically - context.

Explore the real-world applications of FieldTwin here, or book a demo to discuss how FieldTwin can empower and build context for your team.