Meet Torbjørg, Marketplace Manager at Mintra: Connecting & Aggregating Industry Expertise

With more than two decades of experience in the maritime industry, Torbjørg Undem brings deep operational insight and understanding of workforce competence to her role as Marketplace Manager at Mintra. Her background in marine HR, training development and global team leadership gives her a unique, customer-side perspective on how digital learning solutions can improve safety, efficiency and career development across the sector. That experience continues to shape how she supports Mintra’s growing network of training providers and industry partners today.

From the Stables to the Sea

Torbjørg grew up in Stavanger, Norway. Maths, accounting and legal studies were her favourite subjects at school, but her true passion was horses. “I spent most of my time in the stables,” she recalls. “I moved to Denmark to become a professional dressage rider and was lucky enough to have great coaches that helped me become Norwegian Champion three years in a row. Competing in the European Championships in 1985 was a definite highlight.”

After returning to Norway, she trained as a driving instructor with plans to take over her father’s driving school business. “It didn’t take long before I realised that teaching people to drive wasn’t for me,” she says with a smile.

Newspaper article of Torbjørg after the championship

Torbjørg swiftly turned her focus to leadership and economics studies, which led to a role with Kværner Engineering working on a ConocoPhillips jack-up project, Ekofisk Alpha/Bravo, before moving into the maritime sector. Her first position in crewing was with Gulfmark Offshore, where she was responsible for hiring and supporting seafarers working in the North Sea and along the Norwegian coast. “It was a role I loved. As a small organisation, I did a bit of everything from recruitment to payroll, budgeting and reporting,” she says. “It was busy, but I learned a lot.”

Her career developed further at Teekay Offshore, where she progressed from Marine HR Manager to Director of Marine HR, leading a global team across Norway, Brazil, Canada, Poland and the Philippines, supporting up to 1,200 seafarers at a time. “One of the projects I’m most proud of was setting up a new organisation in Canada in a very tight timeframe,” she says. “We started from nothing and recruited 150 seafarers in just a few weeks. It was intense but very satisfying to see what we achieved together.”

Another standout moment in Torbjørg's career was her involvement in delivering Leadership Training for Officers and Crew at Teekay. “I was part of a small team of three, and we conducted courses across four continents—Norway and Poland for the Europeans, as well as Canada, Brazil, and the Philippines. This was a great experience, building strong relations and culture between ship and shore.”

She also played an active role in establishing a new Dynamic Positioning (DP) training scheme, approved by DNV and implemented by the Ship Modelling & Simulation Centre (SMSC), where she was a board member. SMSC was later acquired by Kongsberg Maritime, and the DP scheme remains part of its training portfolio today, a proud testament to Torbjørg’s lasting impact on maritime competence.

Building the Marketplace at Mintra

Torbjørg joined Mintra in 2018 as a Maritime Course Manager. “At that time, Mintra had around 20 maritime courses,” she explains. “I thought it might be a bit quieter after years in shipping, but it wasn’t!”

Following Mintra’s acquisition of Atlas Knowledge, her role quickly expanded, and she eventually became Marketplace Manager, responsible for Mintra’s third-party course provider network. Today, she handles agreements, revenue reporting and collaborative projects involving both internal teams and external partners.

“I work closely with many departments across Mintra, participating in and leading new product projects with both internal and external contributors,” she says. “We’ve been working on some exciting new initiatives, including cloud-based simulator courses, which have just launched.”

Another key focus is her involvement in Kompetansehuben, a major industry collaboration initiated by Offshore Norway involving oil majors, service companies and training centres. “The project aims to align competence requirements across the oil and gas industry,” she explains. “It’s complex work, but very important for the future of the workforce.”

What Matters Most

For Torbjørg, Mintra’s strength lies in its people and their shared commitment to continuous improvement. “I really appreciate the flexibility and that we have so many people with different skills and backgrounds,” she says. “I’ve learned a lot since joining, and it’s great to be part of a team where everyone shares knowledge so openly.”

As the business continues to grow, Torbjørg values the influx of new expertise and perspectives. “The new people and skills we’re bringing in add diversity to our business and make us even stronger and more influential in the sector,” she adds.

Looking Ahead

Torbjørg still lives in Stavanger and spends her free time at her summerhouse in Lillesand. She enjoys cycling, hiking and Pilates, and might soon add golf to the list by getting a Labrador Retriever puppy.

Looking to the future, she sees an industry in transition. “The maritime sector is evolving fast, creating new opportunities for learning and competence development beyond mandatory requirements,” she says. “That’s what excites me most, these are areas where Mintra can really make a difference.”