Rise in oil driving demand in skills-short roles, analysis reveals

At a time when demand for oil and gas is close to reaching a historical peak of 100 million barrels a day, meeting this demand is now under threat due to skills shortages at the cutting edge of oil production. According to new market analysis from global energy recruiter Samuel Knight International, this has revealed a significant uptick for skills-short roles and the top four most in demand and ‘at risk’ roles due to the skills crisis are:

1. Reservoir Engineering

2. Geologist

3. Geomodelling

4. Geophysicist

Commenting on the research, Haider Kadhim, oil and gas specialist at Samuel Knight says:
“Since the collapse of oil prices four years ago, the industry has gone through its usual cycle but with the price back up, demand for onsite talent is at a cutting edge. Amid this, employers are seeing skills become short which is exactly why these four production focused roles are in such high demand. With this in mind, there are three key things employers can do to avoid this becoming a continued problem.

Aside from monetary incentives, it’s about thinking outside the box to enhance engagement and attract and retain talent. Sourcing the best people used to be about hard cash and bonuses but it’s time to think about other rewards that appeal to individual needs – from pension schemes and gym memberships to childcare vouchers and healthcare benefits. Focusing on core competencies is also key. Amid talent shortages, it’s crucial that recruiters focus on the essential skills they need for a role, once this has been established hiring managers can then focus on upskilling and on the job training for staff.

“Ultimately, while many sectors have been focusing on pipelining talent and hiring strategically, the oil and gas industry has been somewhat slow to adopt this mind-set. A successful strategy is not about recruiting short term to quickly fill a position, it’s about being strategic and hiring not just for now but for the future. While it’s not a short term approach, in the long run those companies thinking ahead are the ones which will truly see the benefits and ensure global energy needs are met.”

-ENDS

Zahra Abedi
BlueSky PR
T: +44 (0)1582 790 094
E: zahra@bluesky-pr.com
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