Our subject matter experts (SMEs) are at the heart of the insights, innovation and integrity that define our work. Through our SME spotlight series, we're proud to highlight the people behind the expertise. Next we feature Nico van Spijker - Training Delivery Director based in our Well Academy Training Centre in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
Name: Nico van Spijker
Role: Training Delivery Director / Well Control Instructor
Years of experience and time with ModuSpec/Well Academy: 14 years
What does a typical workday look like for you? The courses I deliver are mostly International Well Control Forum (IWCF) well control courses. These courses start on Monday and finish on Friday with an independent IWCF exam. Every morning, we start at 08:30 and finish somewhere between 16:00 and 17:30, depending on the support needed by delegates. Normal class size is between six and nine candidates.
Part of the training and exam takes place on a drilling simulator. I provide the simulator training and assessments during the week. We also provide advanced well control training on request, including courses focusing on human factors.
What are your key tasks or responsibilities? I need to make sure our delegates get all the information and support required to obtain their IWCF certificate and are ready to deal with the real deal during their daily tasks on the rig. I also need to make sure the training material is up-to-date and relevant.
Who do you collaborate with most often? Most often I collaborate with Kristina Sihotang, our Office Support Manager and Jan Willem Flamma, our Course Development Director. These collaborations are effective because most of the time we work closely with each other and each person has her/his own responsibilities and knows what to do.
What do you enjoy most about your job, team or ModuSpec/Well Academy culture? The best part of my job is interacting with people. Most of our delegates return every two years for recertification because they enjoy staying with us and the quality of the courses is top-notch. It's wonderful to see our candidates' knowledge continue to grow and based on their feedback, I hear that our training truly adds value to their daily operations and the associated high-risk challenges, such as well control situations.
Are you a member of any industry organisations? International Well Control Forum and International Association of Drilling Contractors.
