INDUSTRY:
Natural Gas, Liquefied Natural Gas, Renewable Natural Gas, and Natural Gas Liquids
PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS
- Mobile Training Lab
- Mustang® Modular Analyzer Distribution Panel (MMADP®)
- Mustang® Moisture Analyzer
- Mustang® P53® Sample Conditioning System
- Pony® Heated Probe Enclosure
- Gas Chromatograph
- OMA 300 H2S Analyzer
- O2 Analyzer
- CO2 Analyzer
Unlocking the strength of a transformed workforce with customized training could bring back the lost knowledge, trigger the much-needed change and redefine training within in the Natural Gas industry.
The unprecedented time during the early 2020’s greatly impacted the developmental processes in organizations, not only through changes in form and methodology necessitated by the pandemic, but subject matter as well. A decline in employee engagement and increase in fatigue with the use of multiple, online development initiatives has accompanied this period. Training should have specific goals. For example, to increase the personal effectiveness of employees through the use of new systems and better methodologies that develop the expertise and potential of the employee. Valtronics Solutions has seen a significant increase from companies taking an interest in customized hands-on training using the Mustang Mobile Training Lab to help train newly acquired talent and to avoid career stagnation.
Traditionally the Mustang Mobile Training Lab (MTL) attended multiple industry conferences and trade shows as part of exhibitions, but a paradigm shift occurred during the pandemic period. The MTL took a ten-month extensive road trip across the United States in 2021 which was largely unrelated to the dormant trade show schedule. The MTL could be found at various companies within the Natural Gas industry who desired specific training at their location. On top of the extensive road trip, companies within the Natural Gas industry began requesting custom built Mustang Mobile Training Labs filled with products and systems specific to their Industrialized Buildings and Sampling Systems.
Building customized training systems is not a new endeavor for Valtronics Solutions but the who, where, and how the training is conducted has shifted. For the past 5 years Valtronics Solutions has been working closely with Universities and Technical Colleges in the regions where energy transformation is occurring while at the same time seeing a shortage of skilled technicians. To keep up with this paradigm shift the curriculum being offered has moved to implementing hands-on-real-world experience where students are taught how to properly operate process units and measurement skids. The units/skids are equipped with globally respected manufactures with products and systems including pneumatic pressure and temperature controls, Coriolos meters, Ultrasonic meters, smart level and pressure transmitters, liquid process control valves, Mustang® Sample Conditioning Systems and dozens of other commonly found components and systems that reflect a real-world scenario.
The unforeseen events that occurred during the early 2020’s has contributed to the need of modernization of existing offerings for development in corporations and organizations to foster a culture of continuous learning. In this new reality, an agile approach to employee development can become the new norm. Organizations are realizing they use of e-learning has peaked and understand its limitations. Employees in the Natural Gas Industry typically battle with excessive specialization or role-based silos due to the inability of having access to training on products such as gas chromatographs, analyzers, and sample conditioning systems. The ability to have a custom Mustang Mobile Training Lab at a facility that is also able to travel between facilities allows companies to build skill-interoperability amongst its employees which makes a smoother transition toward agility. The key advantage of incorporating collaborative technologies into the learning environment is that employees are able to have constant accessibility to products and systems with the exact engineering spec configuration they are working with in the field.
Years later we are still continuing to challenge the way work gets done in the natural gas industry. Retaining top employees and tackling the challenge of an aging workforce with a median age of above 44 years is of the utmost concern for the natural gas industry which includes Natural Gas, Liquefied Natural Gas, Renewable Natural Gas and Natural Gas Liquids. It is important to engage and retain a tenured workforce that comprises nearly 50% of the industry’s personnel, most are retiring within the next five to seven years and there is already an identified gap of knowledge loss within the industry. The natural gas industry has seen a decline in the basic understanding of natural gas, how it plays a role, how it works, and how to maintain systems and pipelines. It is important for companies to focus on building a stronger workforce to reinforce a sense of belonging in the younger generation by initiating experiential programs and hands-on training.
