The tool was developed by eCom Learning Solutions, one of Scotland's leading digital learning and assessment specialists, for Operations Geoscience International Competency Assessment (OGICA), a UK-registered, not-for-profit collective of experienced energy industry professionals. It has attracted strong interest in North America, the Middle East, and Australia, as well as throughout Europe, following launches in Canada last September and in Australia in March this year.

Figures from OGICA reveal that in April and May this year, OGICA's website received a considerable number of new, unique visitors seeking further information about the online self-assessment tool. This instrument enables upstream operations geoscientists in the oil and gas sector to objectively assess the level of their current skills, which are vital for them to be successful. Some 72% of these visitors were from countries in Europe (with the UK accounting for just over 50%). They were followed by those from Asia and South America (8%) and those based in Australia, Africa, and North America (4% each).

"We're delighted that the availability of this eAssessment tool is proving of genuine interest to operations geoscientists in the oil and gas sector from a wide variety of cultures and industry-related businesses based around the world," commented OGICA's Christine Telford.

"The degree of interest now being shown in this tool from around the world shows we were right in our view that the industry needs this form of easily accessible, digitally delivered, objective, online assessment of knowledge and skills.

"It also vindicates the innovative and engaging design of this benchmarking tool from eCom Learning Solutions that identifies individuals' strengths and skills gaps in this most vital of professions within the energy industry," added Christine. "We're fortunate to have such knowledgeable and skilful collaborators, whose work is now bringing us growing business from around the world."

A broad discipline, geoscientists study the Earth's structure and formation, analysing rocks to explore their natural mineral and energy resources.

Geoscientists are often involved in the discovery and development of commercially viable and exploitable reserves of natural resources, such as oil, gas, minerals, and water. Others work in areas such as seismology, volcanology, environmental protection, land reclamation, or oceanography. A new growth area is those working renewable energy such as geothermal wells and site surveys for wind farms in which geoscience energy skills are transferrable. 

"The online assessment is a cost-effective universal tool for all operations geoscientists to assess their skills and identify skills gaps. It's available online, any time, to geoscientists around the world," explained Christine.

"In today's fast-paced energy world, relying purely on previous education, references, continuing professional development (CPD), work experience, and organisational membership needs to be augmented by being able to validate - as immediately as possible - practitioners' proficiency to work to a recognised standard. That's what the OGICA/ eCom tool offers, and, as such, it's continuing to generate interest on an increasingly worldwide scale from geoscientists in this global industry."

The system's three modules include an online booking management system and the online self-assessment system, powered by eCom's online assessment system, eNetAssess. The third module, eNetBadges, is powered by eCom's digital micro-credentialing tool and issues candidates with a digital badge to recognise their learning experiences and achievement. This badge has metadata embedded in it, with details of the issuer and the skills levels the candidate has achieved.