The growing technical and business complexity of Canada’s oil and gas industry, together with the need to remain competitive internationally, is driving demand for a more skilled and knowledgeable workforce.

Groundbirch, Canada 2010 Assign no. 191/10

PetroLMI’s latest HR Trends and Insights report, Shifting Priorities and a Shifting Workforce, examines key shifts in skills, knowledge and occupations that are happening in the industry as a result of the use of new technologies that are designed to access harder-to-reach reserves, cost-management strategies that are intended to simultaneously improve returns and productivity, and the industry’s need to diversify into new and expanded markets.

Some key findings:

  • Today’s oil and gas worker looks quite different than the worker from a decade or more ago – entry level workers need to be comfortable with technology; many workers need to be more innovative and have better negotiation skills.
  • More technologists are needed in the field – a marked contrast from the previous practice of hiring operators with a mechanical aptitude and then providing on-the-job training.
  • The need for stakeholder and Aboriginal relations professionals is on the rise as the industry seeks to obtain a social license to operate in communities that have not historically participated in oil and gas development.
  • More process operators are required to manage the flow of products delivered from an expansion of unconventional drilling through processing plants and pipelines.

Read Shifting Priorities and a Shifting Workforce.

Download our latest webinar

This summer, PetroLMI hosted two webinars on another HR Trends and Insights report, Rotating, Not Relocating: Alberta’s Oil and Gas Rotational Workforce.

In the webinar, PetroLMI outlined several key findings from our report, including:

  • Camp companies with international operations have described closed camps and lodges in the oil sands as world class.
  • Contrary to the perception that rotational workers are generally young and single, the research indicates that more rotational workers are older and married, or in common-law relationships.
  • There is no best rotation. Rotations with equal work and time off are the most effective at ensuring workers get enough downtime.
  • The rotational lifestyle isn’t for everybody. Workers who engage in rotational work solely for financial benefits tend to be less satisfied and less likely to remain employed in this work arrangement for any significant period of time.

Did you miss the webinar?

Watch the video.

Download the slide deck.

Calling all SMEs

To make sure we build the best career tool for the oil and gas industry, we need the help of the best people in the oil and gas industry. That’s where you come in – we need oil and gas professionals to validate the updated profiles of 36 oil and gas occupations (the building blocks of our tool).

Validating is easy and can be done in the comfort of your home or office! Think you can help? Check out the list of occupations we need validated by subject matter experts below:

Chemical

  • Chemical process engineers
  • Chemical process technicians and technologists
  • Petroleum engineers
  • Petroleum geochemists

 


 

Corporate

  • Cost engineers
  • Joint venture representatives
  • Land negotiation and administrative professionals
  • Operations accounting and regulatory reporting professionals
  • Regulatory affairs professionals
  • Stakeholder relations professionals

 


 

Drilling and completions

  • Drilling and service rig helpers, labourers and semi-skilled workers
  • Drill and service rig operators
  • Well services helpers, labourers and semi-skilled workers
  • Well services operators

 


 

Electrical and process control

  • Automation engineers
  • Control centre operators
  • Electrical technicians and technologists
  • Quality control and inspection professionals

 


 

Facilities

  • Civil engineering technologists
  • Health and safety professionals
  • Petroleum plant and facilities operators
  • Well and facility asset management professionals

 


 

Geoscience

  • Geotechnical engineers
  • Geoscience technicians and technologists
  • Seismic helpers
  • Seismic operators

 


 

Infrastructure

  • Oil and gas transportation operators
  • Pipeline engineers
  • Pipeline transportation helpers

 


 

Marine

  • Marine deck officers and crew
  • Marine engineering room crew
  • Offshore oil and gas marine specialists

 


 

Mechanical

  • Heavy equipment operators
  • Mechanical engineers
  • Mechanical technicians
  • Valve technicians

If you or someone you know can validate one of the occupations listed above, please contact Heather DeBoer at [email protected] or 403-516-8049.

We appreciate any and all help during our validation process!

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