Industry Leaders Highlight Importance of Women in the Workforce
Kate Lowery
Posted March 14, 2019
The natural gas and oil industry continues to develop the workforce of the future, with women playing an increasingly prominent role in industry’s success. This important shift was celebrated by industry leaders at IHS Markit and API’s Women in Energy reception on Monday, as the IHS CERAWeek conference kicked off.
Each year our industry is becoming more and more diverse, and this progress will only continue. Women are projected to fill hundreds of thousands of the 1.9 million new job opportunities expected in natural gas and oil through 2035. Maria Claudia Borras, President and CEO of Oilfield Services at Baker Hughes – a GE company summarized it well:
“We know that a stronger energy industry means a stronger, safer, brighter future. I’m proud of our industry’s recognition that women are an essential part of that, and proud of our progress.”
When women hear what the industry has to offer, especially as it relates to the areas they value most: health care benefits, job security, satisfaction and salary – which is about $50,000 higher than the U.S. average – they are even more likely to sign up. In fact, a majority of women are open to working in the natural gas and oil industry. One of the biggest challenges for the industry is simply raising awareness of the employment and career development opportunities available. But this is something we can overcome, especially as more women fill industry leadership roles and bring greater awareness of the incredible opportunities available to women in natural gas and oil.
You don’t have to be a petroleum engineer or pipeline operator to work in natural gas and oil. There are jobs abound in IT, data analytics, legal and contract services, human resources, communications and marketing, financial services and more.
Having a STEM education presents even more opportunities for work in a high-tech and innovative industry like natural gas and oil, and there is enormous potential for women with STEM degrees, but the industry knows that it still has work to do. Megan Bloomgren, Vice President of Communications at API:
“Women are graduating with bachelor’s degrees at a greater rate than men, but men outnumber women 4 to 1 in industry related fields. We must do the hard work to educate and engage the next generation in this field.”
This is great a great opportunity for natural gas and oil, and we must put in the hard work needed to raise awareness of both STEM and non-STEM employment and career development opportunities within the industry so women can act on this truly amazing time in our history.
As the future brings even more opportunity for success for women in natural gas and oil, we celebrate and recognize our industry’s female leaders.
About The Author
Kate Wallace is an associate of research and content development for the American Petroleum Institute. Before joining API she was a researcher and policy analyst at America’s Natural Gas Alliance, and worked on pollinator conservation programs and state wildlife conservation policies before entering the energy industry. Kate graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in Resource Economics, and earned her Master of Public Administration from George Mason University. She loves taking her dogs on hikes, travelling and navigating the northern Virginia/DC craft beer and wine scenes with her friends and family.