Stay or Go? A Transition Roadmap for Oil and Gas Professionals

Abstract

Oil and Gas workers have been facing increasing levels of redundancy since the oil price crash of 2014. The layoffs have been accelerated by digitalisation, the energy transition and COVID 19. This has led to heightened uncertainty especially amongst subsurface professionals with highly specialised skills. The ReNew You Community project was set up to connect and empower industry professionals seeking to manage their career during this period of accelerated change. Through a series of interviews, a framework for an effective transition was designed. The foundation of this framework is the four factors to be considered during a transition. Three of these factors are within the individual's locus of influence (practicalities, interest, skills) whilst the fourth factor (demand) is dependent on the external environment. Skills are the interface through which the professional interacts with the employment market. A skills assessment using the framework of perishable, semi-durable and durable skills provides a useful lens for creating effective transition roadmaps that are tailored to the individual's needs. Copyright © 2021 the European Network for Research in Geo-Energy. All Rights Reserved.