Executive Viewpoint

Vol. 233 No. 7

Introducing the next generation to oilfield careers

A news reporter called me several weeks ago to ask my opinion of the “crisis” in personnel for the oil and gas industry. Two things struck me about the question. First, the fact that he used the term “crisis” reminded me of the sensationalistic nature of much of the media. (We in the business-to-business press tend to avoid hyperbole, knowing that we write for an audience with extensive knowledge and which is, therefore, less susceptible to hype). Second, it occurred to me that this reporter really had very little knowledge of the oil and gas industry, much less what the industry is doing to meet all of the challenges it faces, whether regulatory, technical or staffing, for that matter.

I informed the reporter that the industry is doing quite a bit to develop new personnel and adapt to the challenges it faces in staffing. I cited large-scale company training programs, in which workers from other industries are taught practical courses in oilfield topics such as mud engineering and fracing. These programs help fill the immediate need of putting workers into the oil patch.

For professional-level staffing requirements, there are many scholarship programs for students, who study geology, geophysics, petroleum engineering, and other technical disciplines that make our industry go.  One of the best that I mentioned is the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) Education Center, of which Gulf Publishing Company is a supporter.

In 2006, IPAA President and CEO Barry Russell launched the IPAA Education Center in Houston under the leadership of Doris Richardson, a former educator, who is dedicated to making high school and university students aware of the vast career opportunities available to them in the oil and gas industry. By 2009, Doris expanded the program by establishing Petroleum Academies in four Texas high schools. Today, over 1,000 students study classes in engineering, geosciences, and professional development to learn about the oil and gas industry in this impressive Advanced Placement honors program. Planning to study engineering or geosciences at the university level, they are introduced to the industry by working at oil and gas companies as “externs”, learning more about our business and what we do on a day-to-day basis.

Many of these students are the first in their families to obtain higher education degrees. Ninety-two high school seniors from the program will attend universities next year to obtain engineering or geosciences degrees. The IPAA Education Center was established as part of the IPAA Education Foundation to provide scholarships to assist these students with their education expenses.

At a recent breakfast in Houston, the IPAA Education Center introduced 15 of this year’s scholarship winners. I met many of them. They’re an impressive group of young adults, who are exceedingly bright, well spoken and, most important, very eager to make a career in our industry.

Bruce Vincent, President of Swift Energy, presents the Chairman’s Scholarship of $25,000 to Khadijah Ray, student of the Westside Engineering & Geosciences Academy at Westside High School, Houston. The Chairman’s Scholarship is provided through a gift from Bruce and Julia Vincent. Khadijah will study engineering at Texas A&M University.

Why am I telling you all this? We work in a very interesting global business that offers excellent career opportunities to those who are properly prepared. Unfortunately—in both the U.S. and overseas—there is a great deal of misinformation disseminated in the high schools and universities about the oil and gas business. This program allows high school students to explore the realities of the oil and gas business, equips them to further their studies, and makes possible a career in oil and gas through grants and scholarships.

If you are reading this outside of the U.S., the IPAA Education Center/Education Foundation is an excellent program to emulate. If you are in the U.S., I would encourage you to support this stellar program. You can contribute to the scholarship fund, or host these students in your company for a three-week job shadowing “externship.”

You can find more information at www.ipaa.org/education/index.php or contact Doris Richardson (drichardson@ipaa.org) at the IPAA. To contribute, make checks payable to IPAA Education Foundation and send to the following address:

IPAA
1201 15th Street, NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005
Attn: Therese McCafferty