Career Ready interns Dominic Chappells and Isla Barrowman completed four-week paid placements, gaining hands-on experience across business, operations, engineering, finance and data analytics.
Well-Safe Solutions recently welcomed two young people into the business as part of the Career Ready programme, giving them the opportunity to experience the world of work, build confidence and explore potential career paths in the energy industry.
Career Ready is a national social mobility charity that connects young people aged 15–18 with employers through mentoring, masterclasses, workplace visits and a four-week paid summer internship.
This year, Well-Safe Solutions hosted Dominic Chappells as a Business & Operations Intern, with a placement focused on Well Engineering, Finance and Data Analytics, and Isla Barrowman as an Operations Intern, gaining insight into operational activity across the business.
Building confidence through real workplace experience
For Isla, the internship offered both practical experience and a welcoming introduction to office-based work.
“I have found the internship very informative and a great opportunity. Not only have I enjoyed the work but I also like the environment, while it is a work place, it is very relaxed and nonjudgemental – one of the things I was afraid of before starting.”
During her placement, Isla worked on a range of operations-focused tasks, including making a start on a safety case, reviewing the IADC list and refreshing the daily report document to make information easier to read and access.
“I’ve learnt a great deal about rigs, their workings, and the monumental efforts put in to keep them running. I’ve seen a great deal behind the scenes, having the chance to sit in on meetings, having access to documents, reports, equipment lists and so on.”
She also had the chance to work with colleagues across operations and other departments, gaining a broader understanding of the people, processes and safety standards that support Well-Safe Solutions’ work.
“I worked alongside my mentor Arek and the other operational engineers in the department, I also worked with the managers from not only the Well-Safe Defender rig but Guardian and Protector as well. I spoke with people from departments including HR, IT, finance, and well engineering.”
Arek Wisniewski, Senior Operations Engineer and Isla’s mentor, said supporting her internship was a rewarding experience:
“It was a rewarding experience to introduce Isla to Well-Safe Solutions as part of the Career Ready programme. Throughout her internship, Isla demonstrated many of the qualities we hope to see in the next generation of professionals in Aberdeen, enthusiasm, curiosity, and willingness to learn!
Over the course of the four-week placement, Isla gained exposure to a broad range of activities that support offshore operations, including safety management, operational reporting, planning processes, asset management, and technical documentation review.
She also participated in a number of practical learning opportunities, including a mock interview, Well Control and ROV simulator experiences, Working at Height and Confined Space Entry awareness sessions, a visit to the Port of Aberdeen, and a rare opportunity to visit one of our assets, thanks to the Well-Safe Protector team.”
Dominic’s internship gave him exposure to several areas of the business, including Well Engineering, Finance, Operational Performance and Data Analytics. He said the placement had given him “valuable insight into a professional engineering and business environment”, while helping him understand how different departments work together.
“The internship gave me valuable insight into a professional engineering and business environment, helping me understand how different departments work together.”
Mohammed Osman Ali Khan, Junior Operational Performance Analyst and Dominic’s mentor for the internship, said:
“Dominic was an excellent addition to the team throughout his four-week placement. He embraced every opportunity, from Well Engineering and Finance to Operational Performance & Data Analytics, showing great curiosity, confidence, and professionalism. He consistently asked insightful questions, quickly grasped new concepts, researched on cement alternative for well barriers, built his own Power BI dashboard, and delivered an outstanding final presentation.”
During the placement, Dominic worked on a project researching “potential alternatives to cement for well abandonment”, created a Power BI dashboard, and presented his findings to colleagues at the end of the internship.
“His enthusiasm for learning and strong communication skills made a lasting impression on everyone he worked with.”
Investing in future talent
For Well-Safe Solutions, supporting Career Ready is part of a wider commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for young people and helping them take their first steps into the workplace.
Haley Robertson, HR Business Partner, said:
“Providing internship opportunities is an important way for us to invest in the next generation of talent. Through Career Ready, young people are given the opportunity to experience the workplace first-hand, develop practical skills, build confidence, and explore potential career paths.
Isla and Dominic made a fantastic contribution during their time with us, demonstrating enthusiasm, professionalism, and a genuine willingness to learn. It has been rewarding to see their confidence grow over the course of their placement, and we hope the experience has given them a strong foundation for their future.
We are proud to work with Career Ready and help create meaningful opportunities for young people to gain insight, experience, and inspiration as they consider the next steps in their education and careers.”
A future in energy
For Isla, the experience has helped shape her understanding of what work in the energy sector can offer.
“I have already secured a placement with an energy company – with a job interview at the end. I believe that after my further education it is entirely possible I could work in the industry.”
Asked whether she would recommend the internship to others, Isla said:
“I would, as it provides a great deal of skills that you can’t develop in a classroom. While the first week or two was nerve wracking, the experience and knowledge I have gained are priceless. The knowledge and skills I have developed will help me greatly in my career path and have set me up for the workplace, correcting my expectations of both the oil and gas sector and office work.”
Dominic was also positive about the experience, saying he would recommend the internship because it provides “hands-on experience, exposure to industry professionals, and the chance to develop both technical and professional skills in a supportive environment.”
By hosting Dominic and Isla, Well-Safe Solutions has helped provide real workplace experience, practical learning and industry insight to the Energy sector’s next generation.
