With the Minister of Energy in place, inspiring speeches from heavyweights like Equinor and Wood, spiced up with speeches from our own Morten and Bjarne, the new opening of our competence center in Porsgrunn was an evening we will take with us onward.
On April 9, the official start was made for TS Group and TS Academy with the opening of the new competence center in Versvikvegen. The center, which was previously located on Herøya, now forms the framework for our continued efforts. Under the tab "Industrial competence in change", we gathered together with Grenland Næringsforening and Odds Partnernetvetter partners and industry leaders to discuss the challenges surrounding the fact that competence is fresh - always.
The Minister of Energy and industry leaders on the way forward
First on stage was TS Group CEO, Morten Walde. Here it was emphasized that value creation is not created by looking for mistakes – but by cultivating what people are actually good at, and capitalizing on it. At TS Academy, values are created by seeing people, believing in people – and giving them the conditions for mastery.
Furthermore, Minister of Energy Terje Aasland took the floor to shed light on Grenland as an industrial region, its future, and which factors will influence the industry in the future.
This was followed by a presentation from Henrik Melsom, CEO of Wood. He explained how implementing AI is transforming work tasks and strengthening Norwegian competitiveness. A key point was how technological innovation is facilitating the repatriation of tasks that have previously been performed abroad.
After a break, it was Tor Egil Hopen Saue from Equinor's turn to explain how activity on the Norwegian continental shelf requires a focus on digitalization. A key message was that the transformation requires a strengthened performance culture and competence development at all levels, both internally and throughout the supply chain.
Intergenerational transfer of skills
It was also time to welcome two representatives from TS Group to the stage: Ole Hemsborg, who has worked in the industry for over 40 years, and Jannicke Husa, who is at the beginning of her career. They discussed what distinguishes competence requirements and working in industry in Norway before versus today.
The last speaker was goalkeeping legend Erik Holtan, who drew parallels to sports. Leadership and proper competency building are the key to success, whether in industry or how it is reflected in the table position in the Obos or Eliteserien.
Through all the presentations, a clear picture was drawn of an industry in change. The connection between new technology, generational experiences and leadership is the very key to future value creation – not only in Grenland, but throughout the country.
Panel debate: Focus on cutting-edge expertise
In true debate style, the presenters were invited back on stage to highlight different perspectives. A key common feature of the debate was the need to shift the focus from “number of heads” to the candidates’ cutting-edge expertise.
By combining global insight with local execution, we paint a picture of a sector where success is measured by the ability to develop the right skills at the right time, which is crucial to ensuring both sustainability and competitiveness in increasingly complex ecosystems.
Official opening in Porsgrunn: A meeting place for the industry
When Chairman Bjarne Moursund concluded the academic part with his words about the importance of expertise, it also marked the official opening of our competence center.
The rest of the evening was spent on what is perhaps the industry's most important resource: people-to-people conversations. With representatives from 86 companies gathered, this was a great arena for building connections across industries.
Thanks to everyone who participated, to all the talented presenters and to our partners Grenland Næringsforening and Odds Partnernettverk who helped make the evening eventful.
He who stops getting better, stops being good. – Bjarne Moursund | Chairman, TS Group
