COVID-19 UPDATES

IWCF Certificate Extension Review – 4th May 2020

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.

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 website locations map to show this as an additional delivery option. You can search for them by using the the ‘Programmes’ filter and selecting ‘Virtual Training.’

Accredited Centres can download the guidance and application information from our Members Login Area or can contact our accreditation team to request these documents.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Update

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.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Business Continuity Update

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 with your customers and candidates.

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

As a membership organisation and in line with our core values, the safety and well-being of our members, stakeholders and employees is a priority to us.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation is fast evolving and we are continuing to monitor the situation globally to ensure we are following the very latest advice.

As we all adjust to the new precautions in place, we recognise that there will be candidates who are unable to attend training courses and assessments. In these circumstances we would like to offer the below guidance about their certification expiry dates.

For IWCF Well Control Certificates expiring between 17 February 2020 and 31 May 2020, IWCF will extend the expiry date of those certificates by 90 days. IWCF will review this decision on 01 May 2020.

Candidates – please click here to complete our short form to submit your certificate extension request.

The availability of IWCF Assessor and Instructor Training courses will be reviewed and attendees will be contacted as necessary.

We will continue to monitor the situation and will keep you updated during this time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and understanding.

If you have any questions, please contact us by emailing iwcfinformation@iwcf.org.