By Eve Sprunt, Honorary Member SPE, 2006 President of SPE
The fact that fossil fuels are such a fundamental part of our economy cannot be denied, nor can the cyclical nature of the industry, which amidst falling oil prices, entails hiccups in attracting and retaining talent within the industry.
Every time the industry was booming, talent was hired like mad and the only question would be: Can you spell oil? Then a downturn would arise and acquiring people would halt. This means there are bimodal age differences.
The industry has many employees over 55 years of age yet not so many between 40 to 55 years old. Further to that, I feel there is also a divide between single earners and the younger generation who are nowadays part of a dual career couple. Which comes with added challenges.
The relatively new generation must be vocal in that which they want to achieve. Do not let prejudice dictate what career you choose or which extra curricular activities you partake in. Since the 70s we have been led to believe we are running out of fossil fuels, yet they will remain a fundamental part of our lives for a long time. Climate issues will mean we see a rise in renewables.
High and stable oil prices would enable the transition to occur faster, because there would be less of a premium for non-fossil fuels.
Interested in other career related topics within offshore Energy? Visit the Human Capital Panel during Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2016.