That is the training mission of Vulcan Training & Consultancy. The representatives of the training company focus primarily on the safety of offshore workers. – We teach how to work safely at height, how to give advanced first aid, what to do in case of a fire, how to get out of a smoky turbine or how to survive at sea in case of an emergency”, says Artur Ambrożewicz, the CEO of Vulcan Training & Consultancy, in an interview with BalticWind.EU.  The commentary was originally published in BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Poland Q1 2022.

BalticWind.EU: What does Vulcan specialise in and what can it offer to the offshore wind industry in Poland and the Baltic region? 

Artur Ambrożewicz: Vulcan Training & Consultancy is a state-of-the-art training centre, where we train oil & gas and wind energy employees to work and return home safely. That is our mission: for your safe return. We teach how to work safely at height, how to give advanced first aid, what to do in case of a fire, how to get out of a smoky turbine or how to survive at sea in case of an emergency. 

We have a training theatre for working at height, a wind turbine simulator, a fire training ground, 9 modern lecture halls, and as the only ones in Poland we have our own three-star Vulcan Hotel, a heated training pool and a sinking HUET helicopter simulator. We are the only company in Poland to offer our delegates over 60 training courses accredited by OPITO, GWO, IRATA, and IOSH. Thanks to the trust and commitment of our customers we are among the top 10 GWO training centres in Europe in terms of the number of trained people. 

What plans does Vulcan have for 2022 and beyond in terms of offshore wind development? 

Apart from specialised training in GWO (Global Wind Organisation) accreditation, we organise training required by Polish law: electrical training (SEP), operation of an overhead travelling crane and a mobile hanging platform (UDT), as well as general and occupational health and safety. 

At the end of last year we purchased a FRC fast rescue boat and we are in the process of OPITO accreditation for ITSO training. We also offer our clients the possibility of medical examination for work at heights above 3 metres, OGUK, TUV, or Chester Step tests required in the wind industry. 

We are constantly evolving by expanding our training portfolio, so that customers have the comfort of comprehensive support. That’s why we organise GWO training every week, even for 1 delegate. We give you the assurance that if the training has been booked, it will definitely take place. Today we are ready to meet the requirements of the offshore wind industry in terms of all the competencies listed. 

In which direction are the global training standards for offshore wind moving? 

Recent changes in GWO standards have been very disappointing for the training industry – the scope of a number of training courses, including first aid, has been reduced quite a lot, which unfortunately may have a negative impact on the ability to act properly in emergency situations. GWO is a relatively young organisation and you can see that it is still looking for the golden mean between the requirements of TIER 1 companies and practice. Much more experienced in this regard OPITO seems not to succumb to pressure. 

For our part, we are taking advantage of evolving technology that has allowed us to transfer elements of theory into the world of e-learning. This allows delegates to learn theory without leaving home, deciding when they want to return to a particular topic. At VTC we give delegates the opportunity to complete the theory of GWO Basic Safety Training without leaving home. Once they have passed the theory they come to our training centre for practice only.

 We are also working on the introduction of VR (Virtual Reality) solutions, which will make the art of training more attractive and will be a natural platform of education for the younger generation – however, this should not be a direction that will eliminate the practical elements of training 100%, but only support them….

The full article you can find in BalticWind.EU Quarterly Country Report Poland Q1 2022.