In August, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published an article detailing how the oil and gas industry is concerned about recruiting the next generation of workers to fill key roles.

The article outlined a dual challenge for the oil and gas jobs market. There is a general lack of supply as the industry struggles through volatility this year, and there is a lack of demand from young professionals entering the job market.

“The economic crisis caused by the pandemic, combined with a growing distaste for the oil business among potential young employees, is creating a new problem for the industry,” the Wall Street Journal wrote.

Fortunately, there is an opportunity to address the lack of interest. It requires a smarter approach to talent recruitment by offering education and training opportunities that young professionals are seeking. Embracing this approach, especially in the area of measurement, can help oil and gas companies find quality talent that can help navigate this difficult time for the industry.

Why is Measurement Ideal for Oil & Gas Job Seekers?

At a fundamental level, measurement is an ongoing activity that must happen — no matter the status of the oil and gas market. Measurement is required to support ongoing operations and maintenance activity for companies.

Measurement represents an opportunity for stability at a time when 20 percent of American oil and gas jobs were lost between March and June, according to a report by Accenture cited in the WSJ article.

However, the more concerning issue is that many young professionals are not attracted to the industry as a whole. The boom-or-bust market pattern, the increase in automation replacing manual jobs, environmental concerns, and the emergency of alternative energy sources are some of the factors negatively weighing on the minds of prospective talent.

“The uncertainty is always kind of eating away at your confidence that you’re going to make it a whole career in the industry,” said one recent college graduate quoted in the WSJ article.

Considering this situation, oil and gas companies can’t wait for talent to come to them. When ready to hire talent, companies need to take a proactive approach to recruiting by making a compelling case about opportunities in oil and gas. Included should be the availability of training and certification programs.

Make Training Part of Your Recruiting Pitch to College Graduates

Today’s college graduates are leaving campus with a tremendous amount of knowledge, an advanced understanding of technology, and concerns about their financial future. Oil and gas companies have the opportunity to use training and certification programs to help address this scenario.

– Knowledge-to-experience gap: Graduates want to apply their knowledge, but they lack experience to understand how it translates. If recruited to a role in your company, they want assurance they will be able to learn real-world industry concepts so that they can do their job effectively and eventually grow into a higher role. Offering a training program to new graduates is attractive when young professionals are not sure how to apply their accumulated knowledge.

– Technology gap: Graduates can help oil and gas companies close their own technology gap by helping companies better understand how to use technology. Many oil and gas companies are moving to automation, requiring “digitally-savvy employees,” as WSJ reported.

The key to this equation is helping students-turned-professionals understand how to apply technological understanding to fundamental processes in oil and gas. A training program can help these individuals connect concepts and see how technology can facilitate improvements.

– Career gap: Graduates are looking for income security to pay off college debt, make big ticket purchases, and set themselves up for career advancement. A training program is attractive to young professionals as a way to get started on a solid foundation, while also increasing their personal value in the market.

Specific to the measurement function of oil and gas, there is an opportunity for young professionals to receive training on the fundamentals of measurement that will position them for long-term success in the industry.

Partner with GCI for Measurement Training

For 20 years, Gas Certification Institute (GCI) has helped oil and gas professionals advance in their understanding of the fundamental elements of hydrocarbon measurement. Our instructor-led courses help professionals gain a deeper understanding of the measurement fundamentals in natural gas, liquid, and crude so that they can return to their role with confidence.

That’s why we recommend that oil and gas companies partner with GCI to provide training and certification programs to incoming talent. We can help your new hires in the following ways:

• Understand how to apply their educational knowledge in a real-world industry setting.
• Gain an understanding of how technology can be utilized in measurement.
• Understand how to perform consistent measurement, which leads to accuracy.
• Gain valuable skills that contribute to the new employee’s ability to excel and progress on a measurement career path.

Oil and gas companies need to be more attractive in the job market to recruit the type of young minds that can have a positive impact on the industry — both presently and in the future. Help your recruiting efforts by partnering with GCI to incorporate fundamental measurement training into your onboarding process.

Talk to us today about how we can help. Together, we can strengthen the oil and gas industry and support your necessary measurement function.