For many people working in oil and gas, moving into renewables does not mean starting again.
Experience in managing risk, investigating incidents, improving processes and checking that work meets requirements can be valuable across the energy sector. The challenge is often showing a prospective employer how that experience applies in a different setting.
Auditing is one way to make those skills more visible. A good auditor needs to listen, examine evidence, ask useful questions and understand how work happens in practice. Those abilities are familiar to many experienced QHSE professionals, even if “auditor” has never appeared in their job title.
Training can help turn that practical experience into a recognised qualification. An ISO 9001 auditor course develops an understanding of quality management and audit techniques. ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 courses extend that knowledge into environmental and occupational health and safety management. For someone considering a move into renewables, the right course will depend on the role they want to pursue and the experience they already hold.
There is also a wider reason to keep learning. Organisations are adapting their management systems as requirements, technologies and client expectations change. People who can examine whether a system works, and help colleagues improve it, have a contribution to make whether they work in oil and gas, offshore wind or elsewhere.
Cost can be a barrier to taking the next step. Scotland’s Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund may support eligible people who have worked in the sector and are seeking roles in clean energy or other specified industries. Applicants need to check both their eligibility and whether their proposed training meets the fund’s criteria.
QHSE Aberdeen is running ISO auditor training during the final quarter of 2026, including ISO 9001 Foundation, Internal Auditor and Lead Auditor courses in October. Its programme also includes ISO/IEC 27001 Internal Auditor training and half-day sessions on the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 updates in November. The team can help prospective delegates identify a suitable course and provide course information for a funding application.
For someone weighing up their next career move, the first step may be to take stock of the skills they already use, and then decide which qualification would help them take those skills further.
Contact QHSE ABERDEEN for more information info@qhseaberdeen.com