Mining careers live in Perth
The oil and gas industry is hoping to attract new recruits by staging a live career show for tertiary students in Perth on February 24, 2012.
Created as part of the Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference, the career show is particularly aimed at maths, science and engineering students.
The AOG Careers Day will provide tertiary maths science and engineering students with information about the graduate programs, vacation programs and career opportunities available with some of Australasia’s largest oil and gas employers.
Students can hear presentations and talk directly with employers and industry leaders from Woodside, ConocoPhillips, WorleyParsons, J P Kenny, John Holland, INPEX, Subsea 7, GE Oil & Gas, Technip and SUT (Society for Underwater Technology) as well as talk about courses offered by Curtin University and the University of Western Australia.
Chairman of Perth SUT Terry Griffiths says the oil and gas sector is not only experiencing a current skills shortage but also faces a “demographic time bomb” as skilled workers retire with not enough people to replace them.
Mr Griffiths joined the oil & gas sector after graduating as a mechanical engineer. He spent 15 years gaining experience from roles in Australia, Asia and Europe.
“The current trend is for Australia to supplement its skill base by importing significant numbers of workers, however this is a double-edged sword,” Mr Griffiths warns.
“People need to think of the situation as a global issue, with opportunities for local educational institutions to further strengthen their focus on excelling in the education of talented students,” Mr Griffiths says.
“The skills shortage extends beyond just the oil and gas industry. It encompasses a wide range of disciplines and careers involved in the offshore, subsea, naval and marine fields.
“They are all facing a demographic time-bomb where there are expected to be substantial numbers of skilled and experienced people retiring over the next few years,” he says.
Mr Griffiths says the sector needs up and coming thinkers, problem-solvers, scientists and engineers.
“Without an appreciation of the interesting, challenging and exciting careers which are available in oil and gas, too many students are choosing to drop the core maths and science subjects which are essential to moving into this field,” he says.
