New Industry Jobs Portal: ‘Find Your Calling’
Mark Green
Posted June 12, 2014
API has a new website – Oilgasworkforce.com – launched to help meet the twin challenges of attracting the workers needed to sustain and grow America’s energy revolution, as well as provide the next generation of employees to replace those who will be retiring in the next few years.
The new website is an easy-to-use portal for those interested in industry-related jobs, training and more – offered in both English and Spanish versions. John Modine, vice president of Global Industry Services, discussed the site during a conference call with reporters:
“Not only are there tremendous opportunities brought about by shale development, the oil and gas industry is at the beginning of what insiders are calling the ‘great crew change,’ where a new generation of employees is needed to replace a huge retiring workforce. … The bottom line is that in order to maintain America’s status as a global energy leader, we will need an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to recruitment and retention of the next generation of oil and natural gas workers, which is the fundamental goal of www.oilgasworkforce.com.”
Modine noted a recent IHS report estimating that an additional 1.3 million new oil and natural gas industry jobs will be created by 2030. Pro-development energy policies could increase that number, he said. Industry is a proven job creator, he said, citing a study by the U.S. Energy Information Administration last year that found industry employment increased 40 times faster than the rest of U.S. private sector employment from 2007 through the end of 2012.
The new website includes searchable sections:
- Jobs – Leading job seekers to listing resources across the U.S., particularly with drilling companies, manufacturers, oil companies and service and supply companies.
- Education – Workers may browse by name of the educational institution, degree or certification level or by state.
- Certification – Directs oil and natural gas industry specialists to certification organizations by name.
- Training – People may search by the name of the training organization or by the type of training – such as API Training, e-learning and instructor-led courses.
Modine said the website builds on ongoing efforts to reach out to veterans’ groups, labor unions, the African-American and Hispanic communities and colleges and universities. It also includes a feature that will help companies and associated education, certification and training organizations be part of the site.
Industry’s rapid growth is creating hundreds of thousands of jobs that pay wages significantly higher than the national average. As such, America’s energy companies are zeroed in on their current and future workforce needs, which is critical to sustaining the current energy resurgence. Modine:
“The 21st century energy revolution has made the United States the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world, and we are on track to become the largest producer of crude within a few years. … We want www.oilgasworkforce.com to be a tool for the industry to recruit the workforce it needs to sustain American energy leadership. It will also serve as a reminder to lawmakers and the administration of how seriously our industry takes its role as a top job creators and fundamental drivers of a strong American economy.”
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.