An Investigation into the Recruitment Problems Facing the Drilling Sector
Authors: Woodall Guy 
Published: December 2007

Introduction

The shortage of high quality engineering graduate recruits to the drilling sector is recognised as being a threat to the sustainability of the industry. Whilst many studies into the problems facing the oil and gas industry at large have been undertaken, none have focused solely on drilling. The European Drilling Engineering Association (DEA(E)) engaged a third party consultancy to carry out a study with the following objectives:

The scope of work included:

Literature review

The UK's OPITO (Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation) found that, as far as general recruitment was concerned, the drilling sector of the industry was less affected than other sectors; but that in recruitment of postgraduates, drilling was facing particular difficulties.

Across the industry as a whole, the balance of opinion in the literature indicates that the imminent retirement, within the next few years, of a large number of current workers will not be able to be balanced by recruitment. Although demographic trends affect all industries, the oil & gas sector is facing particular problems for the following reasons:

The literature survey revealed many suggestions as to how the situation within the oil & gas industry can be addressed. These include:

Analysis

Many of the students and graduate engineers who participated in the study were critical of the recruitment efforts of oil companies on campus. Even some postgraduates on petroleum engineering courses were unaware of any such activities. And where recruitment activities did take place they were often considered uninspiring.

The study found that most young people make their choice of career at the age 17–18. This agreed with evidence from the literature review. Despite this, the oil companies' recruitment activities were targeted at final year students; in most cases far too late to influence their decision making.

The survey asked respondents what attracted them to the industry, and what deterred them from joining. It was found that students are attracted primarily by opportunities for career progression, quality of life and a technical challenge.

Remuneration does not appear to be a great motivation for them at this stage of their development.

The willingness of companies to layoff staff during cyclical downturns is a significant deterrent to students, in particular undergraduates. Postgraduates on petroleum engineering courses do not seem to be concerned to the same degree; they tend to be more confident that the quality of their education will make them indispensable to their employers. Amongst graduate engineers who had spent up to 5 years in their companies, the survey found that the expectations they had when they started in the oil & gas industry had not been met in issues of: quality of life, travel, career progression, excitement and engineering challenge. In only one respect did the reality exceed their initial expectations; and this was in the size of their offshore bonuses.

Students were in general poorly informed about the various career streams that were open to them in the oil & gas industry, and hence of the opportunities open to them in drilling. Their decision not to choose drilling was often influenced by this and their lack of awareness of the requirements for a career in drilling (in terms of qualifications, personal qualities etc.). There was a general feeling that opportunities within drilling were fewer than in other disciplines, and that drillers were less likely to reach senior management within large oil companies.

Conclusions

The study reached the following key conclusions: