Job Skills Gap Significantly Impacts the Energy Sector

  

Narrowing the Skills Gap With Automation

The labor shortage continues to be a real and significant issue for all industries. Those who require specific skill sets, such as in the oil and gas industry, have it even harder. As described in a 2019 report, many of the energy sector's most experienced and skilled workers are nearing retirement. Some may have retired early during the 2016 oil and gas production contraction. And few young people want to enter the field, which is especially true for women. Some of this is due to worker demands for flexibility and culture, but there is also increasing environmental awareness regarding water quality and climate change driving employment decisions.

Recruitment Pipeline

The oil and gas industry is cyclical, making recruiting and retaining talent hard. For example, in 2016, the North Sea lost 120,000 jobs because of the economic downturn. This reduced the number of young people in the pipeline to take on advanced jobs in the oil and gas industry. Between 2019 and 2022, the number of young people (under 34 years old) has stayed the same as a proportion of the total oil and gas workforce. Despite year-over-year pay increases, the major driver for young workers is career progression opportunities. And much of that ties to technological advances, which are desirable skills in other sectors of the economy. These other sectors offer competitive salaries and benefits with the promise of better work-life balance. This increases competition for skilled and blue-collar workers alike. Young workers are looking for opportunities with clear career progression. Even in the most hazardous workplaces, the oil and gas industry can be competitive with increased opportunities for digital technology-based careers. Young workers are also looking for lifestyle flexibility. With much of the oil and gas industry, there are options for nontraditional work schedules (e.g., two weeks on and two weeks off) and international travel.

Automation to Bridge the Skills Gap

Over 75% of young workers (millennials) who enter the oil and gas industry want to pursue a long-term career in the field. This is great news for retention. However, the pool of potential candidates in this age group is small, with many saying they don't want to be associated with the oil and gas industry. This social consciousness means that the 4% of incoming workers will not be enough to replace the 18% nearing retirement age. Automation can help bridge this short-term gap by making it easier for existing personnel to complete necessary tasks, such as air quality monitoring. In the long term, automation can provide transferable technology-based skills to help recruit and retain younger workers.

Automation for Level 1 Facilities

Level 1 facilities need to minimize the number of staff in facilities for emergency response purposes. Automation of air sampling equipment is one way to accomplish this. The current regulatory environment requires nearly continuous air quality sampling. With staff shortages, having someone sampling daily with pen-and-paper documentation doesn't make sense. Simple-to-use and intrinsically safe hardware connected via Wi-Fi or cellular data allow for better management of data and centralized processing with less technical staff at the facility. A few specialized staff can be responsible across multiple facilities.

Choose the Right Digital Tools

There are many options for selecting digital tools, but few can provide Windows 11 compatibility and operate in hazardous workplaces with potentially explosive environments. Aegex digital technologies hardware is globally certified for the most hazardous and explosive conditions, including ATEX/IECEx Zone 1 and Class I, II, III Division 1. The Aegex100M Intrinsically Safe Tablet integrates seamlessly with on-site communication systems and off-site data management systems. Contact Aegex Technologies to see how Aegex can bridge your skills gap.