| Administrative History | Also known as Sam Alexander or SMD Alexander. |
| Description | Interview summary: Track 1 - Duration 1 hr 07min 09secs
Interview summary: Samuel Alexander, born 1932. Current occupation: retired. Married with two daughters born 1961 and 1963. Paternal grandfather was a surgeon, medical practitioner, paternal grandmother was a housewife. Maternal grandfather was a bank clerk, maternal grandmother a housewife. Mother held degree in Modern Languages from Queens University Belfast and taught in Paris until married. Father worked in banking and ended career as a bank manager with National Provincial (now Natwest). Grew up variously in Staffordshire and Leominster in Herefordshire until attended Colwell prep school aged 9. Then attended Malvern College. Gained Oxford and Cambridge School Certificate. Attended Trinity College, Dublin, studied Medicine for 3 years, did not complete studies and left in 1953. Discusses reasons for leaving university. Completed National Service in the British Army as a 2nd Lieutenant with 5th Royal Tank Regiment (5 RTR) between 1954 and 1956. Worked as the assistant Motor Transport Officer (MTO). Upon completion of National Service, began employment with ESSO Petroleum as a Forecourt Salesman responsible for the Midlands. Discusses this job and training in detail. Continued to live at home in Leominster. Moved variously within ESSO Petroleum to domestic heating oil supplies and then industrial sales. Married in 1959. Describes work in industrial sales. Following ESSO starting the 'Tiger' campaign, returned to work in marketing and developed a retail school in Solihull. Made the transition from sales to industrial training. Describes in detail the work and training in the retail school. Describes the development of forecourt goods sales. Did not consider himself to be well paid but did have a large credit control. Compares his credit control and pay to his father (Bank Manager). Moved to the Petroleum Industry Training Board (PITB) as ESSO refused to allow him to continue in training. Moved to a higher salary and considered PITB to offer variety and a better use of his experience. Discusses the personal, professional and domestic changes necessary to work in Scotland instead of the Midlands; relocation, transport and training etc. Worked initially with onshore industry, but became aware of the necessity for offshore training as North Sea Oil developed. Discusses the funding of PITB. Describes the transition of PITB into Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Agency (OPITA). Believes the offshore unions were very supportive of training and the implementation of Health and Safety. Describes how he established the Scottish Offshore Training Agency (SCOTA) in October 1973 as an add-on to the PITB. Moved to Aberdeen in 1975 from Helensburgh, discusses in detail the shortage of housing and the difficulty of this move. Describes how SCOTA courses were developed and where and how they were run. Became dissatisfied with pay and conditions within SCOTA / PITB and was headhunted by Chevron. Discusses reasons for leaving, the interview with Chevron and his new training budget. Worked with Chevron from 1978-1985 as a training co-ordinator. Describes in detail the training courses with Chevron.
Interview summary: Track 2 - Duration 21min 46secs
Made redundant by Chevron aged 53. Discusses changes in Chevron at this time and why he believed they made him redundant. Decided to work for himself. Was initially employed by BP International working on Audio Visual training Aids. Then moved in 1988 to work for the Drilling and Production Training Centre officially as a Marketing Manager, but worked more on developing a Roustabout training scheme for the unemployed. Believes more than 700 people were trained under this scheme. Describes the unemployed training schemes in detail. Then worked with various companies running induction courses, including TOTAL. Describes these induction courses in detail. Retired in 1997. Describes limited involvement with TOTAL and Frigg / St.Fergus. Discusses the changes in offshore training and Health and Safety procedures. Describes running OIM training courses with SCOTA. States that the entire training element of the oil industry had to be developed from scratch and be both acceptable to the industry and to Government legislators.
END OF INTERVIEW |