Interview with the 50th anniversary Bente Leiknes at the 50th anniversary of StS!

In 2012, Bente turned 40 years old when StS celebrated its 40th anniversary. At the time, Bente was portrayed in StS magazine.

Now, 10 years later, we celebrate 50 years together and have been so lucky to get an interview with the 50th anniversary Bente.

Bente Leiknes

Bente Leiknes turned 50 on February 6 this year, just about 5 weeks before her employer turns 50!

We talked to Bente about how she ended up with her profession and at StS and not least about why she has chosen to be here for so long.

Bente joined StS in 2008, at the same time as Victoria Iren Leirvik. They travelled together on their first offshore trip to Oseberg Field Center.

Bente already had a certificate as an interior painter when she started in StS. She really wanted to become a pharmacy technician but did not enter the school – so it was a bit of a coincidence that she chose to continue.

She started at Årstad upper secondary school in line for painters and floor layers. It was 1 year plus one more year with apprenticeship. After 4 years of education, she received a certificate as an interior painter.

Then she worked for Kenneth Eliassen. That’s where she met Victoria. They had many jobs for the municipality and a lot at Haukeland Hospital. There she thrived very well – very varied work and good environment. But the contract expired and then both Bente and Victoria noticed that they had become a little bored so both both took the offshore course together on their own initiative.

Then they started looking for work…

Bente remembers well when she and Victoria applied for a job at StS! They sat out in the park at Haukeland Hospital in beautiful weather and wrote an application together.

Self-portrait of Bente with the painting brush

Apprentice and work offshore for the first time

They both got jobs at the same time and sat holding each other’s hands in the helicopter on their way out to work offshore for the first time.

Bente started as an apprentice through the county municipality! She was at the field center for two years until StS lost the contracts offshore in competition with others! It was dramatic! The learning process then stalled a bit! It therefore took longer to complete the learning curve. Bente was at work all the time, but not with tasks that fit into the apprenticeship plan.

In the period 2010-2012, Bente was at various onshore facilities. She was at Nymo and at Yme, among others. After a while, she was hired out to competitors to work offshore. It was a special era that was very special, says Bente.

Trade certificate and FROSIO

Bente took the certificate in 2012 or 2013. Then she was working at Mongstad. There was an abrupt transition from offshore at the field center to land projects. You had kind of lived a little in a bubble. Bente also had no experience working at shipyards!

The positive thing about it, Bente thinks, was that she became better acquainted with colleagues when she worked on land-based facilities. The field center became a bit too big in terms of getting to know others well. And even though the tasks were perhaps more exciting offshore, you learned more about yourself – an experience that you grow on.

In addition to having taken a certificate in surface treatment, Bente has also taken several courses and Frosio.

The reason she took Frosio was simply that she did not quite know what it was and wanted to learn more.

Bente wanted to learn both theoretically and practically what the subject was about. But working as a Frosio inspector Bente does not think is for her.!

It’s okay to have some administrative tasks too, but I need to get out to work physically!

What tasks do you have and what do you find exciting about your job?

Oh – that’s a lot,

says Bente.

The tasks are very varied and differ from place to place. For example, now on Gjøa, which is a large project, there is a lot of fire insulation.

This is something Bente likes very much!

It’s almost like baking a cake – you have to iron well and roll nicely. Time flies by.

In Gjøa, Bente has had a try in the office as well – there is a small learning curve there as well. Among other things, Bente has worked as a supervisor and thinks it is very nice to be able to do that as well. She can do more of that!

What do you think is good about working at StS and what makes it proud to be employed here?

I think StS sees people

Bente can say that because she has been rented out a lot to almost all the largest companies in the industry and there you notice the difference.

The fact that StS sees its workers makes you feel safe -you know you have someone behind you if anything.

This is probably exactly what makes me stay in StS and have been here for so long.

Although she could certainly get a job elsewhere – with a fixed offshore rotation!

Do you have any good stories you want to share?

No! Then you have to have a hidden camera in a coffee shop or something.

It is good camaraderie- and StS has many employees with long seniority- It is a great advantage.

There are many of those who have been to StS a long time who have taught me a lot of what I can today.

They are confident in themselves and do not have the need to show off. They are willing to learn from you without hurting you.

There are many of those in StS. Good role models!

Do you have any dreams?

I’m really fine- as long as it goes on like this.

We thank you for the interview Bente !

Also read the portrait of Bjørn Sommer who celebrated 40 years in StS here: 40th anniversary with StS celebrating it`s 50th anniversary!