Aberdeen Drilling International has conducted workforce development training in the Middle East since 2005 when it participated in a 9-month government-funded program in Kuwait. This particular group of high school graduates completed 3 months of English language tuition and foundation-level instruction before attending 6 months of entry-level drilling and well completions training.  Each trainee enrolled in the program received a monthly stipend and an entry-level job on successful completion of their training.

Between 2009 and 2013, Aberdeen Drilling International conducted Safety Induction courses for more than a 1,000 new hires in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. We received reports from client companies that this training not only improved safety but also retention of new hires and productivity at the rig-site.

In 2011, Aberdeen Drilling International was contracted to provide drilling instructors for the Rigman program, conducted for the Saudi Petroleum Services Polytechnic (SPSP) in Dammam, KSA. SPSP founders are the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Aramco, Chevron, and the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation. These are 2-year programs for high school graduates, combining foundation-level skills and entry-level drilling tuition.

In 2013, this program was expanded to include intakes of approximately 150 trainees at any time. A dedicated Construction & Drilling Training Center was opened that included classrooms, workshops, rig-floor drilling simulators, and a training rig. Aberdeen Drilling International is responsible for managing the drilling training components of this program and is currently operating with a team of 10 instructors lead by training manager, Neil Morrison.