MOL Group UPPP
A programme of discovery and change
It’s easy to get drawn into the thinking that the world of work has stages of maturity and patterns we’ve followed for years and that these are the ones that will continue to prevail. Take the education into apprentice into practitioner route. It’s been around forever so why would this change?
It’s not so much that this model is no longer a viable operational method for people learning their way into a craft or speciality, more there’s accelerated and alternative bolt-ons to this model.
The UPPP initiative from MOL Group appears to one such bridge between education, apprentice-like guidance/opportunity and a career in Oil & Gas itself.
The difference is that it’s not just about traditional taught content; or a research project or some shadowing. This is about immersive, simulated and gamified learning with other students leading to a consultancy-like business proposition pitched and judged for viability.
It taps into not only the innovation of the individuals concerned and the accessible insight from the industry, academia and science; but also the energy and interest of the individuals concerned. It’s like a brilliant discovery of whether you’re keen enough and fit this industry before making a massive commitment as a career choice.
It’s the mentality of a traditional apprenticeship compressed into a short few months of technology enabled application to roles and tasks, connected networking with others, discovery and decisions.
That’s what makes this such an exciting initiative to watch play out. It’s clearly why light entertainment programmes are using this formula to create human-interest stories and a selection process for a dream opportunity to work with a famous entrepreneur.
Discovery and change are also two hugely in-demand qualities in the world of work now.
Who would have thought that electric cars would be so mainstream as to catch up to their petrol and diesel counterparts? OK only in Switzerland: Tesla sold more than Mercedes-Benz C Class, Audi A6 and BMW 3 series combined but this was not expected to scale up this quickly was it? Who would have thought how much renewable energy was such a vote-winning, reputation enhancing factor that energy providers are now using this to frame their next 5 year strategy and show how green the industry can be? This even includes ten major oil and gas companies who recently issued a joint statement saying they would “play their part” in battling climate change before a UN climate summit next month.
Discovery and change go hand-in-hand in the world of work where exponential growth is a regular occurence (think Waze, AirBnB, Bla Bla Car, 3D Systems). What is the “secret sauce” of these amazing upstart start-ups that suddenly scale? People need to discover and use this insight to instigate and navigate changes of their own.
MOL Group’s UPPP programme sets this discovery/change tempo for people BEFORE they join the workplace and when considering a switch of careers. Looking up, out and around. Making sense, analysing and projecting. Testing, experimenting and iterating. Conversations, confidence and collaboration.
That’s why I’m delighted to be part of the crew following this year’s programme of discovery and change. Where learning is the force-like energy that surrounds these Padawans on their journey to being Jedis of our future energy needs.
Up for a personalised journey of discovery and insight into change in the world of energy? UPPP is the programme for you. For more see http://www.uppp.info/
Perry Timms
Director – People & Learning MediaZoo.tv
Founder – PTHR & the iPractice
Social Media Advisor to the CIPD
Visiting Fellow – Sheffield Hallam University Business School
Fellow the RSA.org
Chief Connector – WorldBlu.com
Futurist – IBM Future of Work Programme
TEDx Speaker – The Future of Work
