The oil industry as well as professions within NDT have traditionally been male-dominated. Statistics show that this is still the case, but the proportion of women attending NDT courses at Force Technology is increasing.
“As the Nordic region’s largest course provider within NDT, it is encouraging for us to see that the proportion of women attending courses continues to increase,” says David Eklund, Director of Department at Force Academy, Norway. “Although we are seeing a positive trend, there is still some way to go to achieve a more equal gender distribution. That is why we find it exciting to focus more on what is needed to make the profession more attractive to women.”
If everyone thinks alike, no one thinks differently
“As a training centre, we consider diversity an enrichment that contributes to a positive and innovative working environment. It is valuable to have people from different professional and cultural backgrounds. Even though differing perspectives can sometimes create challenges, frustration or confusion when people see or react differently than expected, it helps us gain more perspectives on an issue and highlight opportunities in new ways. Research and studies show that if everyone thinks alike, no one thinks differently,” says David.
Several studies and surveys show that both women and men are more satisfied at work when there is good gender balance. They also show that companies with diversity in top management perform better financially and gain a competitive advantage. In other words, achieving good gender balance and diversity at all levels of an organisation benefits both women and men, as well as company value creation and sustainability.
“It is important for all companies in the industry to achieve a more equal gender distribution and greater diversity among employees, because it contributes positively to both innovation capacity and the working environment,” David emphasises. “We hope to continue seeing an increase in the proportion of women in our industry going forward, and we are also working on how we can contribute to making the profession more attractive to women,” he concludes.
As mentioned, statistics show that there is still an uneven gender distribution within the NDT profession. With this in mind, we find it interesting to gain insight into what motivates young women to choose the NDT profession. We have therefore interviewed some of our female course participants about how they experience everyday life in the industry and what is needed to recruit more women into the field.
Signe Strand Tverbakk, NDT technician at Testpartner AS, Norway:
“What I like best about the industry is that you take part in many projects and that the work is highly varied.” To demonstrate that companies want women in the industry, she recommends becoming more visible at career days and trade fairs. "Good marketing is important."
Desiree Wang Delgado, NDT Inspector at Aker Solutions AS, Norway:
“It is exciting to be part of something that is so important for the safe and continued operation of the oil industry. You are constantly learning something new. You need to stay alert and willing to learn, and there is never a dull day with NDT as a profession."
"Another major advantage of this industry is that there are many branches within the field, so you can continuously develop within your chosen area or move on to something else.”
Ruth Helen, NDT Inspector at Aker Solutions AS:
“The most positive aspect of this job is the varied working day and the great opportunities for development. You never stop learning.”
"Focus on development opportunities and salary progression. Show that the company invests in more women and values diversity in the workplace, because this has been shown to create a better working environment.”
What opportunities does vocational education give you?
NDT is a profession that offers varied work and many challenges. It is a fast and reliable route into working life. Practitioners in the field have a versatile profession that requires a high degree of accuracy and independence.
The variation within the field, both in methods and levels, provides good opportunities for personal and professional development, both for the theoretically inclined and for those who prefer a more practical career path.
A typical working day can consist of everything from practical fieldwork and testing to assessments and planning of complex professional challenges, possible new technological solutions and related adaptations.
If you are new to the field, Force Technology's course department can provide guidance on courses and career paths that make sense based on your background and career ambitions.
Based on our extensive experience and knowledge of the industry, we can also guide you regarding the career opportunities available within the profession.
References
Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills: https://utdanning.no/likestilling
Hede R. (2018) Mangfold er en nødvendighet for å lykkes. Ledernytt:
https://www.ledernytt.no/mangfold-er-en-noedvendighet-for-aa-lykkes.6072964.html
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