Attracting top talent
Published:
WHILE Aberdeen remains the focal point of Scotland’s oil and gas industry, it’s not just the Granite City that currently enjoys the benefits the thriving sector can help generate within local communities.
Farther north, in Orkney, increasing opportunities have arisen in recent years to tap into the industry, leading to businesses that work within the sector flourishing – and, indeed, emerging as industry leaders – while based in the islands.
One company, Opus Plus, which specialises in water treatment, oil and gas separation and aquatic toxicology, has established an unrivalled reputation in the oil and gas industry. It has done so by providing specialised services to firms across the world, forging multinational relationships while based on the island of Flotta, in Orkney.
The firm has secured and completed contracts for a host of companies spread far and wide geographically, carrying out work for organisations that operate from countries such as Brazil, the US, Malaysia, Norway, Qatar, Pakistan and Cameroon.
A key objective of Opus Plus – and, indeed, all successful companies – is to ensure that it attracts and retains the most talented employees, who can maximise the standard of service it provides and assist in ensuring the continued development and growth of the company.
Despite the perceived remoteness of Orkney, the company has encountered little difficulty in drawing people to Flotta to take up positions at its facilities on the island, with many staff having moved to Orkney from across the UK to join the Opus Plus team since the company was set up in 2001.
Now employing 18 staff in a range of positions from environmental chemists to administration staff, and from accounts administrators to laboratory technicians, Opus Plus has already drawn a wealth of talent to Flotta, which has undoubtedly helped position the company as a market leader within its industry.
Glen McLellan, engineering manager at Opus’s facilities on the island, says the perception that Orkney is too remote couldn’t be further from the truth.
“People outwith the isles don’t realise that there are so many creative and innovative people here who are leading the way within their specific industries, playing an important part in advancing science and technology and providing services and products of the very highest quality.
“Within the renewable sector, for example, various leaders in that field have chosen the islands to base themselves and carry out their work from, and these positive elements need to be highlighted to counter the perceived isolation of Orkney.”
Living and working in the islands has many benefits – one of which can involve the daily commute to work. In Orkney, employees can enjoy a more unconventional journey to the office than the panicked and manic rush through traffic which many have to endure in town and city centres.
Glen said: “Each morning, I travel to Flotta by boat, which means a nice, peaceful 20 minutes in a comfortable launch across calm waters where I can either read or grab some valuable extra sleep.
“Catching the boat to and from work as opposed to hopping on the bus or driving there has another advantage in that the ferry timetable means that when it’s time to ‘clock off’, we must leave or else we’ll be stuck on the island overnight.
“This means that, at the end of the day, staff can, for example, spend quality time with family and friends, helping employees enjoy a healthy work-life balance.
“I have lived and worked in various places, including a stint in Singapore – which is roughly the same size as Orkney but has 4.5million residents, whereas we only have 20,000 – and there is truly nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Opus Plus – the sister company of Guildford-based produced-water treatment and oil and gas separation specialist Opus Maxim – provides the offshore oil and gas market with a range of engineering and environmental services.
These include fluids characterisation and performance monitoring of offshore facilities, validation testing of process equipment and aquatic toxicity, biodegradation and bioaccumulation studies of offshore and other chemicals.
For further information, call 01856 702000, or visit www.opusplus.co.uk
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