Steps need to be taken to address a shortage of fully trained professionals working in the offshore sector, it has been claimed.

A report from the Wall Street Journal, citing James Pappas from the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America, notes that a shortage of people to fill positions has led to a case where individuals have to learn on the job.

Investigators into the Deepwater Horizon incident have raised questions over workforce training, but Transocean has argued that its crew were well trained for their work on the rig.

However, improvements in training have led to higher safety standards, industry groups have claimed, citing a 40 per cent drop in the rate of injury in the offshore sector, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Despite this, an ongoing shortage of experienced workers in the sector is affecting the success of the industry, the news provider adds, noting that future growth of the sector could be affected.

Oil & Gas Directory: Training & Development