News

Mr Zdenek Sehnal (pictured below) has informed the IWCF Board of his retirement from his role as IWCF Board Chairman. 

Mr Sehnal has held the position of IWCF Board Chairman since 2016, while also representing the Norwegian Branch as Branch Chair. He has led the organisation through a period of substantial change, most recently navigating the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of virtual training and assessments.  

Mr Jamie Wilson, Vice Chair of the IWCF Board of Trustees will adopt the role of Acting Board Chair, effective immediately.  

IWCF’s Board and administration would like to thank Mr Sehnal for his hard work and dedication as we’ve worked towards furthering our mission and vision.  

Mr Wilson commented. “Zdenek assumed the Chairman’s role at a pivotal time of the IWCF’s direction. With his calm manner and diplomacy, coupled with very considerable personal effort, he enabled the Board to enjoy a period of effective and harmonised activity. Furthermore, he has been instrumental in leading the development of IWCF’s strategy to deliver well control training to a standard expected by the global industry.  

The Board has requested Mr Sehnal to assume a consulting role with the IWCF Administration to continue assisting with the implementation of the strategy and support the CEO with various technical and training matters.

IWCF introduced virtual training and assessments in 2020 due to the impact that COVID-19 had upon face-to-face training. Piloting this alternative method of training enabled well control personnel to maintain competency despite travel restrictions and social distancing measures that have been in place.

To help us maintain and assure the high standards of quality and integrity expected at IWCF, we have been conducting extensive analysis of data throughout this period. This evaluation has demonstrated the efficacy of IWCF virtual classroom training and remote assessments.

This evidence-based approach has also been utilised to measure performance, monitor success and identify opportunities for improvement. One of the key findings from the analysis, supported by statistical evidence, show that there is no functional difference in candidate assessment results between those who completed an IWCF virtual classroom course versus IWCF face-to-face classroom training.

Accrediting and supporting our members to deliver virtual classroom training and assessment has allowed us to work towards our mission, while enabling our members to provide an accessible and cost-effective solution during the pandemic.

The results of the analysis performed allow us to continue to offer virtual training and assessments as an option for all IWCF accredited training providers, subject to compliance with IWCF guidelines and requirements.

Due to the successful implementation of this initiative, we will close the process for eCert extensions for both renewing and resit candidates from 31^st March 2021.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

The French Branch elections were recently held following on from the retirement of the French Branch Chair, Alain Jost.

Alain worked with IWCF since the company formed in 1992, with over 16 years’ experience as the vice-chair of the IWCF Board. We would like to thank Alain for his long service and wish him well in his retirement from his position.

Fabien Manuel from IFP Training was elected as the new chairperson, and Raphael Alonso from Ecole Francaise de Forage elected as the new vice-chair.

In the UK, the vice-chair elections were also recently held with Jamie McHattie from Maersk Training UK appointed to the vice-chair position.

We would like to welcome Fabien, Raphael and Jamie into their branch chair and vice-chair positions and look forward to working with them all in 2021.

If you would like to see our full board structure you can download the structure chart here.

We have created a dedicated Coronavirus (COVID-19) page where all our updates will be published. You can find this on our home page, menu bar or by clicking here.

Certificate Extension Update – July 2020

Since March 2020, IWCF have continued to closely monitor the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and have worked closely with our members globally to follow regional advice.

With worldwide restrictions being imposed, we have worked to ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees and well operations crews are maintained by introducing the virtual classroom training option. IWCF virtual classroom training is now widely available at accredited training centres globally (see links below).

Certificate extensions have been granted for eligible candidates who were unable to re-certify between 17 February 2020 and 31 July 2020.

After carefully assessing the latest developments affecting our global membership, IWCF’s Board of Trustees have agreed to introduce a new eligibility criteria and dispensation process for the small population of individuals that continue to be affected by COVID-19 restrictions beyond 31 July 2020.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation and keep you updated with any future developments.

Information for candidates

Candidates that have an eCert expiring between 1 August 2020 and 30 September 2020 and meet the below criteria will be eligible to apply for an extension.

• The candidate must be booked to attend a virtual classroom training course at an IWCF accredited training provider.
•  The candidate’s employer must provide a written request for extension.

The booking details and employer request must be submitted by email to certification@iwcf.org.

Once IWCF has reviewed the dispensation request, eligible candidates will be granted a 90-day eCert extension.

Candidates who do not meet the above criteria will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Useful links

We have introduced a COVID-19 hub on the IWCF website for centres and candidates to use.

Open Training Centres – This page lists IWCF accredited training centres by region who are open for training and assessments, or their expected opening dates.

Virtual Training Providers – This page lists training centres by region who are accredited to offer virtual classroom training.

COVID-19 Updates – This page is updated with all COVID-19 news and updates.

COVID-19 FAQs – This page answers the most frequently asked questions from centres and candidates.

Please contact us at certification@iwcf.org if you have any questions.

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we want to update you with the latest certificate extension guidance.

We expect many candidates will want to gain or renew their eCert in the coming months. Due to the continuing global travel restrictions and social distancing guidelines, we recently implemented virtual classroom training as an option to continue to train well operations crews globally. This initiative will help support accredited training centres with candidate demand.

We understand that some candidates may be unable to attend virtual classroom training. Therefore, IWCF’s Board of Directors have agreed a further certification extension for candidates who cannot attend training for the following reasons.

• The candidate is unable to secure a place on a virtual training course because the centre’s schedule is fully booked.
• Virtual classroom may not be available in the candidate’s language.
• The candidate is working in a remote location where they are unable to travel and have limited time or access to a computer to take virtual classroom training.
• The candidate’s employer does not want them to attend a virtual classroom training course.

To support candidates who are unable to attend virtual classroom training, we will implement the following measures.

Certificate Extensions

A certificate extension of 90 days will be granted to candidates who now have a certificate expiring between 17 February 2020 and 31 July 2020. All candidates must apply to receive this extension using our online form.

Example: The candidate’s initial certificate expires 31 July 2020. If they submit their details using the online form, the candidate will receive an additional 90 days. The new certificate expiry date is 29 October 2020.

Candidates with Current Certificate Extensions

If a candidate has already been granted a certificate extension and this expires, the candidate must apply for a further extension using our online form.

Example: The candidate’s certificate expired on 17 February 2020. The candidate submitted their details using the online form and received an initial extension of 90 days which then expires on 17 May 2020. The candidate must apply for a further 90-day extension through the online form on the IWCF website.

Virtual Classroom

We will recommend virtual classroom training to all candidates who have/will apply for a certificate extension. All candidates will be asked the reason why they are unable to attend virtual classroom training.

Example: The candidate’s certificate expires 31 July 2020. The candidate must remain on a rig and is unable to complete a virtual classroom training course. The candidate must complete the online form on the IWCF website to apply for a certificate extension and state the reason they are unable to attend a virtual classroom training course.

Instructors and Assessors

All IWCF accredited instructors and assessors were granted a 90-day extension in March 2020. If an instructor or assessor requires a further extension, they must apply to receive this extension using our online form.

A question has been added to the online form for candidates to indicate if they are an instructor and/or assessor.

Example: An instructor’s certificate expired on 17 February 2020. IWCF granted an initial extension of 90 days. This expired on 17 May 2020. IWCF will grant an additional extension of 90 days if the instructor is unable to attend a virtual classroom training course. The instructor must apply for an extension using the form on the IWCF website.

We will continue to monitor the developments and issue updates as required. Thank you for your support and understanding during this time.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

We have created a dedicated Coronavirus (COVID-19) page where all our updates will be published. You can find this on our home page, menu bar or by clicking here.

Virtual Training Update

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented situation which has resulted in worldwide restrictions being imposed. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees and well operations crews is maintained, we have been investigating innovative ways for our accredited centres to deliver training during this time.

As a temporary measure, IWCF’s Board of Directors have approved the introduction of virtual classroom training. This solution allows us to accommodate the requirement for training during the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst maintaining our high standards and integrity. We are committed to collaborating with our accredited centres to ensure this can be delivered effectively to candidates globally.

Candidates must complete all assessments including practical assessments at an accredited centre once social distancing measures are lifted. There will be a maximum time of 90 days to complete assessments following training however this will be monitored in line with government advice regarding travel.

As virtual training applications are approved, we will update our virtual training page and locations map to show this as an additional delivery option. You can search for them on the map by using the the ‘Programmes’ filter and selecting “Virtual Training.”

Accredited Centres can download the guidance document and application information from our Members Login Area, or contact our accreditation team for further information.

We have created a dedicated Coronavirus (COVID-19) page where all our updates will be published. You can find this on our home page, menu bar or by clicking here.

IWCF have continued to monitor the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic over recent weeks and have been respecting and responding to local guidance as it has evolved.

We have been working closely with our centres and suppliers globally to follow regional advice. We advise our members to follow their government guidance and adhere to any restrictions that are in place.

In line with UK guidance, the IWCF head office remains closed. However, our operations and services have continued without interruption despite the transition and ongoing requirement for remote working. We are available to support you as normal so please contact us if you have any questions.

Member Questions

We have received questions from our members about accrediting virtual classroom training for all our current programmes. We are currently developing alternative solutions that will help us accommodate and adapt to the current situation without compromising our high standards or integrity. Our aim is to ensure that the delivery of training and competency can be maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to provide updates on this when they are available.

If you have any questions throughout this time, you can contact us at iwcfinformation@iwcf.org and we will collate these questions into an FAQ document on our website for all to access.

Certificate Extensions

The certificate extension procedure is continuing for candidates who have an IWCF eCert expiring between 17 February 2020 and 31 May 2020. Candidates are reminded to complete the online form then contact certification@iwcf.org to request a confirmation letter of this extension if this is required for their employer.

We will review this decision on 01 May 2020 and send out an update with further information.

Thank You

As we successfully navigate our way through these unprecedented times, never have our core values been more relevant or important.

• We will continue to display Courage as we are required to make important decisions.
• We will continue to maintain the highest standards of Integrity whilst we meet the evolving demands of this situation
• We will be required to adapt and Innovate suitable solutions to deliver our mission whilst meeting the needs of our members
• We Care for the wellbeing and safety of our members, staff and industry and we will continue to support you throughout these difficult times.

We would like to thank you all for your continued support and for helping to share our updates during this time.

Sharing Information – IWCF’s Communication Channels

Our communication channels all feature our latest COVID-19 news, so please share the following links with your colleagues and clients to ensure they receive our important updates too.

Our channels include:

• Our social media profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
• A dedicated page on our website to host all COVID-19 updates in one place.
• You can sign up to our newsletters to receive our latest news directly into your inbox. (Please note if you receive an error message when signing up, this means you are already subscribed)
• Information Notices are available for members to view at any time in the Members Login Area.
• Updates are also saved into candidate FORUM accounts in the ‘Useful Documents’ section.

We have created a dedicated Coronavirus (COVID-19) page where all our updates will be published. You can find this on our home page, menu bar or by clicking here.

IWCF continues to closely monitor the developing COVID-19 situation.  Our priority is to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, members and visitors whilst continuing to deliver our services.

We are working hard to ensure that we take all necessary steps to mitigate any possible impact to our customer operations while maintaining the welfare of our employees, customers, contractors and other stakeholders.

We wanted to share some information and new measures we have introduced to ensure we operate “business as usual” over the coming weeks.

Our Employees

We have adopted a home working policy. We are confident our approach to working remotely means the measures we have in place can ensure business continuity.

We are encouraging staff to limit face-to-face contact unless absolutely necessary to help reduce the risk of infection. Our employees are available to discuss any issues by phone, or have virtual meetings using Microsoft Teams.

All employees are available as usual on their mobile numbers and email addresses.

Travel

Travel is restricted in line with official advice. Business travel is restricted to ‘essential’ travel only.

Official guidelines on isolation are being followed for employees returning from any affected areas.

We have temporarily suspended onsite scheduled visits for audits, Train the Trainer and Assessor Courses until further notice.

Candidate Certificate Extensions

Since announcing the certificate extension procedure on Friday 13th March 2020, we have received a high volume of requests which we are currently processing as quickly as possible.

Candidates will only receive a response from IWCF regarding the extension in the following circumstances:

• After completing the online form, the candidate emails certification@iwcf.org to request a confirmation letter;
• The extension request requires further investigation.

Otherwise, once you have completed the online form, please trust that a 90-day extension will be applied.

Future Updates

After introducing the above measures and in line with official guidance, we would like to assure you that it is business as usual within our organisation.  As this is a fluid and rapidly changing situation, we will continue to closely monitor developments and will provide you with updates as required.

Please continue to share our updates.

We’d like to thank our members, stakeholders and colleagues for their patience and support during this time.