What's Ahead - Young professionals must manage their own education.

This issue of TWA highlights the need for more efficient, up-to-date, and accountable options for continuing learning in our industry.

The September 2005 issue of the Oil & Gas Finance Journal reported that the top 25 oil companies have shed more than 1 million employees since 1982, and those who managed to hang on are now rapidly approaching retirement age. After years of the gradual reduction of jobs, the industry may not have the manpower or the brainpower to keep up with the world’s growing demand for oil and gas.

There is a pressure to get entry-level and mid-career professionals up to speed with those experienced professionals who are about to leave the industry in the coming years. The innovation pace in the industry and the need to address workforce challenges are the main reasons why continuing education for oil and gas professionals is so important. However, the “big question” is what programs work, which do not, and which ones are most valued and useful in our industry.

Keywords:
Upstream Oil & Gas, professional certification, Schlumberger, professional registration/certification, Engineer, University, young professional, Chevron, Reservoir Engineer
Subjects:
Professional registration/certification, Professionalism, Training, and Education
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