Glacier Energy Services Delivers Careers for East End Regeneration as it Boosts Workforce by 50%

INTERNATIONAL oilfield services specialist Glacier Energy Services Engineering has increased its workforce in Glasgow by 50% - and delivered career opportunities to residents of the city's East End as part of an ongoing major regeneration project.

Glacier has created six positions for trainee welding, production management and administrative trainees, in addition to a further 10 qualified posts for experienced personnel at its Clyde Gateway East headquarters, as it responds to ongoing growth.

It is working in partnership with Clyde Gateway, which is leading the urban regeneration of the East End, and Jobs & Business Glasgow, the agency providing support to help residents of the city increase their skills, enhance their chances of getting a job and realise their business potential

The trainees impressed Glacier at an open event organised by the partnership group to attract promising members of the community who have had limited opportunities to develop a careers.

The company, which moved to Clyde Gateway East from Motherwell in October 2012, has now increased staff numbers to 44 from 28 at the start of 2013.

Technicians Sean Shankly, (26), Christopher Burns, (24), Dean Brannigan, (21), Stuart Campbell, (26), and David Weir, (23), and operations administrator Gemma Sullivan, (22), are already in place and are undergoing training alongside Glacier Engineering's vastly experienced team.

Dean Brannigan, who is working as a trainee welding technician, says: “This is a fantastic opportunity and we are all extremely grateful to have the chance to make a career for ourselves in engineering, which didn't seem possible before now.

“The regeneration of the East End is making a big difference to the community and without companies like Glacier, who are really willing to invest in their people, we would have a very limited chance of getting a job or traineeship in oil and gas.

"We all have a brilliant opportunity to learn valuable skills, work in a team and all in our neighbourhood, which is a massive change for Glasgow.”

George Leggate, managing director of Glacier Engineering, says: “We are recruiting across all areas of our business and being able to give opportunities for local people who show real promise to develop careers that were unattainable before is something we've been keen to do since we moved to Clyde Gateway East.

"These six young people really impressed us with their enthusiasm and are already working as part of the team, alongside our experienced specialist welders, technicians and business managers. We really want to see them do well and be part of our ongoing growth success."

Glacier Energy Services' combined business operations has a turnover of more than £10million following its formation in 2011, with over 90 staff working across the UK and international markets from its operational bases in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Newcastle.

Calum Graham, chief executive of Jobs & Business Glasgow, says: "We are extremely pleased to be involved in on-going partnership projects with Glacier Energy Services and Clyde Gateway. These have provided six trainees with the exciting opportunity to gain employment and importantly to help improve their skills.

"Our mission is to make a real and lasting difference to people’s lives across the city and this project has supported us to do that."

Neil McDonald, Chair of Clyde Gateway said Glacier's move to provide high-skilled jobs for local people in the East End is a significant step forward for the area.

"It is through partnership with companies like Glacier, who were our first tenants at Clyde Gateway East, that we are able to fully take our regeneration ambitions beyond physical projects and to ensure that local people's lives are transformed through employment."