IADC Teams with US Colleges to Form Workforce Attraction and Development Initiative

Houston, 29 August 2013 – IADC recently kicked of the Workforce Attraction and Development Initiative (WADI), the goal of which is to unite industry and educational entities to work in tandem to train the next generation of drilling industry personnel.

More than 1600 land and offshore rigs are currently in operation in the US alone, with more expected to come on line in the next several years. The number of new hires needed to fill the expected surge in operations is a critical concern in the drilling industry.

“WADI addresses the industry’s increasing need for pre-screened, pre-trained and pre-qualified entry-level, new-hire candidates. It will connect the oil and gas industry with community colleges that have a track record of successfully developing coursework and programs to prepare would-be personnel for their industry of choice,” said Mark Denkowski, vice president of IADC’s Accreditation and Credentialing Division. “Additionally, WADI will offer personal development trajectories and career guidance for both new-hires and existing rig-based personnel.”

WADI is currently under development, with expected completion by mid-to-late 2014. Community college representatives from states including Texas, Wyoming, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Mississippi and Utah are working together with industry representatives to collaboratively develop training and development courses for the drilling industry.

“I’m very encouraged by this initial WADI meeting – the room was electric and filled with people who are excited about this opportunity,” said Mr Denkowski.

The group is beginning work on new candidate training guidelines and plans to meet again in November to evaluate progress and determine next steps.

For more information about WADI, please contact Amy Rose at amy.rose@iadc.org.

About IADC

IADC is dedicated to enhancing the interests of oil-and-gas and geothermal drilling contractors worldwide. IADC’s contract-drilling members own most of the world’s land and offshore drilling units and drill the vast majority of the wells that produce the planet’s oil and gas. IADC’s membership also includes oil-and-gas producers, and manufacturers and suppliers of oilfield equipment and services. Founded in 1940, IADC’s mission is to improve industry health, safety and environmental practices; advance drilling and completion technology; and champion responsible standards, practices, legislation and regulations that provide for safe, efficient and environmentally sound drilling operations worldwide. IADC holds Accredited Observer status at the International Maritime Organization and the International Seabed Authority, specialized agencies of the United Nations. The Association is a leader in developing standards for industry training, notably its Well Control Accreditation Program (WellCAP)® and rig-floor orientation program, RIG PASS®. IADC is headquartered in Houston and has offices in Washington D.C., the Netherlands, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as chapters in the UK, Venezuela, Brazil, Australasia, South Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and across the United States. For more information, visit the IADC website at www.iadc.org.