BIKS: Providing safe, professional training

Norway is a hub for a variety of industries, many of which involve the use of heavy industrial machinery. In 2003, Bjørn Tore Vindenes founded the Bergen Industrial Competence Centre, or BIKS, originally to meet the need for safety training in crane use and lifting. BIKS now provides courses to those who need certification and documented training within a variety of competencies.

BIKS offers programmes in both Norwegian and English, in person and online, providing documented training, in accordance with the Norwegian Labour Safety Authority. Their central headquarters is found in Bergen, on the west coast of the country. Classes offered range from overseeing cranes to forklift driving, rigging to hydraulics courses. Though following the standards set by a government body, BIKS is a private company and therefore relies on the fees paid by both students and their firms. They have partnered with organisations such as Offshore Norge, Achilles, and CETOP. Students could be on or offshore personnel, freelancers for different companies, or even private individuals who want to increase their skills to strengthen their position in the job market. Though most students work in or go on to obtain jobs in Norway, others work on vessels in places as far afield as Australia and the Gulf of Mexico.

BIKS is a problem solver for the crane and heavy machinery industries, striving to meet the needs individual companies have for employee skill development and raising the levels of personnel safety. Ultimately, one of their main goals is to find solutions for both individual employers and also for employees.

Web: Biks.no
Facebook: BIKs AS
Instagram: @biks_as
LinkedIn: bik-as