Swagelok Scotland

It’s 19th September 2016: A crisp, clear morning at Loch Eil in the Highlands and a group of 108 children from St Machar Academy in Aberdeen are embarking on a five-day Outward Bound course where they will be challenged through a series of outdoor adventures in beautiful wilderness surroundings. Working with the students to build confidence, leadership and resilience is a team of experienced instructors and teachers from the school.  But what is different about this particular programme is that alongside them are two Employee Ambassadors from Swagelok Scotland: Julie Ross and Nicola Johnston.

The programme is part of an initiative by The Trust which partners local schools with local companies in such a way that everyone gains from the experience. Working with employers is not new to The Trust, but in the past year or so, we have teamed with a number of new industry partners, such as Castle View, Scot JCB, M Squared Lasers, Dalziel Group as well as Swagelok Scotland.

So, how does it work and what are the benefits? The Trust seeks out partners with similar values to our own - companies who are passionate about helping young Scots in their area to develop lifelong skills. The companies pledge funds to be used over a sustained period, so that young people, many of whom might require financial assistance to access an Outward Bound residential course, can gain from a week in a challenging group environment.

In Swagelok Scotland’s case, the company was keen to give something back to the community and was excited about working with a local school. But they also wanted the partnership to be more than just a financial exchange.  They wanted their employees, or Associates as they prefer to be called, to be really immersed from the start, as part of a more general commitment to developing their employees creatively. Associates across the company threw themselves behind a fund-raising campaign, with individuals running the London marathon and Inverness half-marathon, embarking on cycling events and doing a charity car-wash. They even held a Summer Shindig with stalls, all to raise money for the initiative.

As Rachel Sutherland, HR Manager at Swagelok said: “It was important the Associates were involved; they really stepped up to the mark and fundraising is still going on, right up to the end of this year. They had such great ideas all of which are helping to support the partnership.”

In consultation with The Trust, the company decided to send two Employee Ambassadors on the course to work with the students.  After a rigorous selection process, Julie Ross, Key Account Manager and Nicola Johnston, Customer Services Manager, both based in Aberdeen, were chosen to go to Loch Eil.

“It was an experience I will never forget,” says Nicola.  “I have come away with more confidence and a real “I can do that” attitude.  It is such a scenic location and from the time you arrive the staff and instructors make you feel so welcome and cannot do enough to help you.  The children are set challenges from day one and it was easy to see the ones lacking confidence but by the end of the week you could see what a huge difference this amazing experience had made. The memories these children will go away with and the activities they participated in will assist them with their future – it’s priceless.”

Julie adds: “My Outward Bound group instructor, Laura, ensured that I got as much out of the week as the pupils.  I gained valuable leadership skills and returned to work completely convinced in my ability to succeed at whatever I put my mind to. I got the chance to give something back to the local community by working with the inspiring teachers at St. Machar Academy. Overall, an incredible week, I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Rachel Sutherland said “The Employee Ambassadors scheme has worked well. It’s outside the box, so different from work with customers; it develops patience and understanding, and you work with diverse people in challenging environments, giving your all to the job in hand. I would say it’s an inspirational partnership.”

To read the article on The Scotsman website, click here: 'Out to help children gain in confidence.'

To contact Swagelok Scotland and find out more about their work with The Outward Bound Trust, email: marketing@scotland.swagelok.com

Swagelok Scotland, Teesside and Ireland are passionate about the development of young people.  That is why we have committed ourselves to raising funds for The Outward Bound Trust.

The Outward Bound Trust is an educational charity that exists to unlock the potential in young people between the ages of 9-19, through a unique approach to learning and adventure in the wild.  The Trust relies on the generosity of donors to ensure all young people are given the opportunity to develop skills and qualities that enable them to thrive throughout education, work and life.

If you would like information on the activities that Swagelok teams are involved in or would like to support any of our teams, please visit our JustGiving page:  Fundraising for The Outward Bound Trust.

Swagelok Scotland was delighted to return as a finalist to the Engineering Construction Industry Training & Development Awards 2018 for the second year running. Having been awarded Highly Commended at last year's ceremony within the Collaboration category, Swagelok Scotland entered the Approved Training Provider of the Year category in the 2018 awards.

The Engineering Construction Industry Training & Development Awards 2018 was held on the 11th October at the Bloomsbury Hotel, London. Representatives from Swagelok Scotland including Peter O’Connor (Distributor Principal), Sam McCulloch (Training Services Manager), Eddie Breen (Group Business Development Manager) and Denise Petrie (Group Marketing and Communications Manager) attended the awards ceremony alongside Garry Holmes (Head of Instrumentation and Control (UK Region), Wood) and Andy Buckworth (Director of STEM Centre, Middlesbrough College) after he kindly nominated us for Approved Training Provider of the Year.

The Approved Training Provider of the Year Award, which receives entries from numerous companies, recognises success for an exceptional ECITB Approved Training Provider with a proven track record in delivering quality training and creating a positive impact with learners, employers and clients. The award category seeks to acknowledge and celebrate the impact they have made with delivering ECITB products and services to learners and employers.

Our entry for the Awards focused on our collaboration with the STEM Centre and how we address the skills gap in our area by supporting industry needs. It showcased the learning experience at our training academies and how our teaching methods and course delivery benefits delegates and industry. Our submission also demonstrated how we are subject matter experts at delivering ECITB courses through a full training package, delivered by our skillful and experienced Training Team.

William Dickie, Group Technical Director at Swagelok Scotland, Teesside & Ireland, said: “Although we were unfortunate not to win our category, all entries were of a very high standard and as a Finalist, it is a real privilege to be recognised as a company who provides best in class ECITB SBT training and development. Many congratulations to all the winners and congratulations to our Training Team who persistently work hard to ensure we deliver high quality training.”

The Aberdeen-headquartered firm now provides training services from Middlesbrough College and has taken up residence in the £20m STEM Centre. 

As the authorised sales and service centre for Swagelok products, assemblies and services in Scotland, North East of England and Ireland, Swagelok works with oil and gas, power, chemical and petrochemical companies to support their fluid systems with a focus on environmental and plant reliability functions.

The firm is already one of more than 35 industrial members of the STEM Advisory Board which guides the STEM Centre in its mission to meet the skills needs of local employers.

This move is designed to gear Swagelok’s Teesside division for growth in its training and onsite inspection services, and will see six employees based within the building.

Sam McCulloch, training services manager at Swagelok Scotland, Teesside & Ireland said: “This is an exciting move for Swagelok which will put us in a great position to provide training in a location that is convenient to many of our customers.

“The STEM Centre’s Process Hall is the ideal environment for our specialist trainers to work with clients because it’s like being on site. It allows us to demonstrate system integrity issues and better understand the consequences.

“The increased capacity in Teesside will mean the company will train in excess of 1,200 delegates each year – helping to prevent major incidents in the process and oil and gas sectors, while helping clients to cut costs and maintain compliance.”

As well as using the Centre for training clients, the Swagelok team will also demonstrate its innovative onsite inspection services to potential customers in the Process Hall.

Using specialist equipment, the team measures system efficiency and leakage before providing companies with valuable data.

Andy Buckworth, executive director of STEM at Middlesbrough College, said: “The team at Middlesbrough College is already integrated with regional and national industry, and having Swagelok on board in the STEM Centre is another extension of this.

“We’re really looking forward to having a world-renowned brand in our facilities – one which will bring even more live industrial knowledge to the heart of our offering through Middlesbrough College and Northern Skills Group.”

Dennis Melrose, group technical support manager at Swagelok Scotland, Teesside & Ireland, added: “This move is a forward-thinking partnership between education and industry – and will provide us with fantastic facilities from which to expand our training and inspection services.

“In turn Swagelok will support Middlesbrough College and Northern Skills Group’s offering by bringing industry into the learning environment on a full-time basis.”

As part of Ocean Kinetics’ commitment to ensuring that our personnel are trained to the highest standards, 10 employees undertook a full day training session with Swagelok Scotland, Teesside and Ireland.

Swagelok is a major developer and provider of fluid system solutions, including products, assemblies and services.  Dedicated to understanding customer challenges, Swagelok have the expertise and resources  to provide products, solutions and services to meet our customers’ needs while focusing on improving overall safety of the work environment, increasing productivity, improving safety and regulatory compliance and increasing knowledge of fluid systems and related components.

Ocean Kinetics invited Swagelok certified trainer Mark Garvey to our Lerwick facility, to deliver the  Swagelok Small Bore Tube Fitting Installation course.

Upon successful completion of both a theoretical and practical examination personnel were awarded with a Swagelok certificate card, which is valid for 3 years.

Our personnel now have an in-depth knowledge of installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of small bore tubing systems, minimising the risk of leakage and ensuring system integrity and safety. They are also trained in the proper selection and preparation of tubing, hand tube bending and correct assembly, gaugability and re-assembly of Swagelok tube fittings.

Ocean Kinetics Technical Director, Mike Boyes, said: “We are constantly seeking opportunities to increase our competency and skills base. By utilising Swagelok to train our technicians, we are ensuring both the highest standards and industry recognition.”