Measurement Technician Training
Retirement, attrition, loss of internal training and the lack of adequate external training have created the need for a common training program, developed, owned and managed by natural gas industry operating companies. This need is supported in a recent study by the INGAA Foundation, entitled Securing Our Future: Developing the Next Workforce, which concluded that technical skill development is inadequate, while the need for training new-hires will increase in the coming few years. Furthermore, it is well-established among engineers and technicians working in the field that the technician shortage has arrived and will likely get worse, increasing the need for high-quality, standardized training.
The Letton-Hall Group, in partnership with the Southern Gas Association,
has developed a concept for an industry-owned technician training program targeted at measurement technicians. Through cooperation with SGA member companies as well as non-member companies, the program is funded through a joint industry project. Fifteen operating companies representing all segments of the natural gas industry are participating in the program.
Phase I was completed in early 2008. The objectives of Phase I were to review existing training material, develop a curriculum for the program and provide a cost estimate for development of the training program. The outcome of Phase I was reported at a meeting of prospective JIP members on June 19th, 2008. A presentation of the results is available through the Southern Gas Association or the Letton-Hall Group.
In Phase II, the program will be developed as a Joint Industry Project (JIP), using the results of Phase I as a starting point. The program will make use of existing training material, donated by members of the JIP, as well as new material. The program will use the latest methods in adult education.
The Concept
The program will include multiple delivery strategies (computer-based, classroom and hands-on) for communicating concepts to the students. This is known as “blended-learning.”
It is envisioned that the first module (computer-based) would be completed at the technician’s workplace, but with periodic web-conferences as question and answer sessions. The second module (classroom) could either be conducted at a centralized location or as a web-based classroom. The final module (hands-on) would be held at a facility or facilities with the necessary equipment and a gas flow loop.
- Computer-Based
- Instructor-Led
- Skill-Builders
The program will be organized in two complementary ways:
- By task, allowing task-driven organizations to select specific tasks, such as “Inspect and Replace Orifice Plate,” or “Calibrate a pressure transducer.”
- By class, allowing organizations to select specific courses, rather than following a task-based structure. Courses selected might be, “Basic Thermodynamics,” and “Orifice Meters.”
Project Objectives
- Industry-ownership.
- Cover a broad range of measurement technician tasks.
- Provide the basics necessary to develop a technician from new hire, to field-ready.
- Include advanced material to give experienced technicians a resource to increase their skill level.
- Availability of over 500 hours of material.
- Provide challenging exams to assess student’s knowledge.
- Provide flexibility in delivery, including ability to select task-based or course-based program, ability to design custom programs, ability to select delivery method.
- Use widely available development software to ensure that it can be revised by anyone with the appropriate skill set.
- Not sales-oriented.
Contact Eric Kelner for more information.