PESGB and Training

Your Council is always looking to improve your benefits. As I noted in the May newsletter, this is Council ‘s main role in life. We ensure that all our activities and any changes to them are aligned with our often – stated purpose:
To promote, for the public benefit, education in the scientific and technical aspects of petroleum exploration.
As you know, we do this through our lectures, events, field trips, and newsletter. The PESGB has also been offering a selection of short, relevant, low cost training courses for some time. Whilst these have not been particularly frequent, we have noted that course questionnaires have been helpful and complimentary, and that members have encouraged us to do more.
Against this background, we have been working with JAPEC over the last year or so to find ways to better align JAPEC’s courses to our member ‘s interests. JAPEC saw there was a gap and asked a joint committee to come up with recommendations.
This took much time and energy from committed individuals who firmly believed that a closer alignment would benefit members. Amongst those who worked to represent the interests of the PESGB, I’d like to recognise the dedicated efforts of John Lander and Martin Durham. Thank you, gentlemen, for your considerable personal contributions.
With deep and considered involvement, the PESGB got to the point where Council felt that only acceptance of the recommendations by the JAPEC committee would result in continued sponsorship. At all times, and particularly over the last few months, we have worked jointly and in close collaboration with the Geological Society and Imperial College, who represent JAPEC’s other sponsor societies.
Unfortunately, the JAPEC committee voted against the changes. And it was with some regret that on behalf of Council I notified JAPEC of our withdrawal of sponsorship. A more formal announcement appears on page 86.
Now we move forward! The role of training co-ordinator will be created on Council and will be responsible for the development and implementation of a relevant, low cost, high value, and focused training programme for our members. As you will no doubt have noticed, there were questions on training in our survey. Please let us know your views if you haven’t done so already.
Last but not least, PESGB is involved in discussions with the AAPG, Imperial College, and Geological Society on the setting up of a ‘rigid-career’ training centre at Imperial College. The idea is that this will offer courses including geological software and geophysical workstation techniques at greatly reduced rates. The AAPG has already approved seed funding of $1 00,000 for this venture. These are exciting changes, aligned with improving your benefits.