ANDERSON IS JUST
one of many bright
young minds exposed to opportunities in
the resource industry through Chevron’s
Powering Careers in Energy (PCiE)
program, delivered to a number of West
Australian high schools.
As a final-year Pinjarra Senior High
School student, he completed five units
of study to gain foundational knowledge
of the industry before becoming
the first participant to gain full-time
employment through the energy giant’s
apprenticeship program.
Anderson now works as an electrical
instrumentation apprentice on Barrow
Island, which sits 60 kilometres off the
northwest coast of Western Australia and
is the site of the liquefied natural gas
and domestic gas joint venture currently
under construction for the Chevron-led
Gorgon project.
“I started the trade quite green,
not really understanding some of the
principles and how things work, but
thanks to the training and close mentoring
provided by Chevron employees, I’m
really starting to retain countless amounts
of knowledge passed down to me,” the
18-year-old says.
“I have been working closely with some
tradespeople from Chevron’s WA oil
division, some of whom have been working
on Barrow Island longer than I’ve been alive.
“They are a diverse bunch of men
and women that know their trade and
responsibilities on the island very well.
I have the utmost respect and trust for
these people that I work so closely with.”
Launched in 2012, the PCiE program
has seen more than 300 high school
students from a dozen West Australian
towns including Onslow, Exmouth and
Kwinana complete the one-year course
which is endorsed by the WA School
Curriculum and Standards Authority.
WEST COAST: SCHOOL PROGRAM
delivers rising star
Approaching a one-year milestone as a Chevron apprentice,
Riley Anderson is testament to the value of school-based education programs.
Chevron learning and development
specialist Tanja Pisaric, says that along
with providing Anderson with a greater
understanding of the LNG sector, the
PCiE program increased his understanding
of available careers in the industry and the
types of skills required.
“This enabled Riley to align his
ambitions and existing skills to a career he
could see himself in,” Pisaric explains.
“He learned of the values and
expectations required of those who
work within Chevron – particularly the
focus on safety, which assisted him in his
preparation for his company interview and
application process.”
Chevron is now focusing on expanding
the program throughout the state in the
hopes of attracting more emerging talent
to the industry.
projects, but in saying that I would jump
at the opportunity to use my trade to
take me around the world,” he says.
“If Chevron wanted to send me
to Thailand, the United States, Latin
America, Saudi Arabia, Europe or any of
the countries they operate out of, I would
not hesitate to seize an opportunity to
work in and experience different cultures
while getting paid to do so.”
The skills and knowledge Riley gained
throughout the program will no doubt
help as he pursues such ambitions.
RP
A new generation of young minds will soon be discovering
and shaping our world’s energy future, which is why we
choose to invest in quality education and training programs.
The students of today are tomorrow’s energy leaders
“A new generation of young minds
will soon be discovering and shaping
our world’s energy future, which is why
we choose to invest in quality education
and training programs. The students of
today are tomorrow’s energy leaders,”
Pisaric says.
Having now been exposed to some
crucial on-the-job experience, Anderson
hopes his trade backing will further
broaden his horizons.
“I would like to end up working
at either the Wheatstone or Gorgon
Chevron
apprentice
Riley Anderson
SUMMER 2014-15 RESOURCE
PEOPLE
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TRAINING
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