Proposal

June 21, 2020

To the Executive Management Team:

        This proposal addresses Creating a Significant Learning Environment (CSLE) that intentionally affords offshore Oil  & Gas professionals a Choice in taking Ownership, actively find their Voice in maximizing and taking advantage of the availed opportunities for multiple Authentic (COVA) experiences in the subsea oil and gas industry.

        This initiative will adapt and implement an existing learning management system (LMS)  that incorporates existing in-class room high end 3D model graphic resources, and create new virtual online material utilizing web enabling technology, affording course options for students to be engaged in

1. Multiple blended learning experiences, and or
2. Complete online learning experiences

Challenges

        This project undertaking is new for the organization. To date, it has involved having difficult conversations with administration, that Socratic lead to inductively recognizing the existence of fixed mindsets; and going against that which has  become comfortable with the current business model generating an attractive profit to the bottom line. As the training manager, actively “listening” to, and observing the nature of this market (past and present), it is mandatory that the organization adapts in preempting the inescapable coming downturns, that will call for a leaner budget, a specialized trained quality/qualified personnel that are digital learners, whose time to market transition will be significantly lowered. Our future viability, competitiveness, niche market share retention and survival mandate the organization moves on this now.

        The outcomes for the learner are well defined, taking its cue from the existing face-to-face in-class courses. The focus has been on thoughtfully crafting a narrative in educating management to a growth mindset in mapping the project execution pathway and clearly documenting the benefits to be realized in deploying such a digital learning solution. The initial “heavy lifting” calls for the training department’s personnel team to develop and acquire new skillsets. Investment in new training is mandatory, to ensure getting over the inertia in adapting/developing the LMS for our organization’s industry. That responsibility of identifying the skillsets my team needs rest with me.

        Budget constraints will not allow for new hires to the team. So, further auxiliary team building activities to garner equity and engender genuine goodwill are called for. Flexibility with current personnel work schedules, celebrating every success along the way, big and small, are critically built in. This has breached and completely fractured my comfort zone, considering that I could just do nothing at this stage of my life. But the passion of a new challenge to take on, the promise of so many new skillsets to be learned, personally, for my team, and to be made available to industry learners are all too appealing to pass up. Not to mention, the organization clearly benefits. “The great problem for reform or transformation is the tyranny of common sense”. (Sir Ken Robinson, 2017)

Features of this project:

1. Student choice in selecting courses to take
2. Student to teacher chat room (scheduled)
3. Student to student peer link up on projects (ideally suited for employees of same client organization)
4. Client’s organization supervisor real time tracking of student-employee’s progress onshore and or offshore. Superuser (my organization) tracking of both client’s supervisor and student-employee’s activities.
5. Generate courses and program curricular progress reports for review and evaluation
6. Completion certificates generated and independently certified by recognized industry gatekeeper entities.
7. All in-class 3D models and associated graphics resources to be transitioned to a virtual/augmented reality online environment.
8. Incorporate a future pathway that bridges high school juniors and seniors enrolling in these courses that are articulated the Texas Education Agency, leading to fast tracking certification and early entry into the related workforce

An implementation plan clearly identifying mapping of tasks, assignment of resources (current, outsourced, third parties…), milestones, and key performance indicators will be submitted on June 28, 2020.