3 Things to Attract Young Workers

The oil and gas sector has relied heavily on its experienced workforce, which constitutes almost half of the industry's personnel. However, with most of these workers set to retire in the next five to seven years, it is crucial to ensure that their skills and knowledge are transferred to younger staff to maintain the sector's expertise. The aging workforce, with an average age of 44, coupled with the declining interest of young people in pursuing careers in the industry, has made it even more critical to attract younger professionals. The industry is becoming increasingly automated and, as a result, it is now more reliant on technology to complete the tasks that used to be done by oil and gas workers. Attracting and retaining younger professionals with expertise in technology and data science has become critical to fill the significant skills gap created by automation. To attract younger professionals, the oil and gas industry must first understand the unique characteristics of this generation. Often overlooked is the fact that a company's digital appeal is crucial, and it must offer meaningful and fulfilling work that aligns with their values of work-life balance and flexibility. Young professionals today prioritize professional development and career advancement opportunities. Only by understanding the needs and expectations the industry can take the necessary steps to attract the right talent and secure its future.

3 strategies to attract (and keep) young workers

1. Make working in the oil and gas industry more appealing to young professionals, one effective step is to emphasize the industry's shift towards automation and innovation. As they grew up with technology, young professionals are naturally drawn towards sectors that embrace it. The industry has traditionally been associated with old-fashioned and dirty technologies. However, companies should showcase how they are embracing technology and adopting digital solutions to improve efficiency, reduce costs. By promoting these advancements and highlighting the industry's potential for innovation, companies can attract professionals who are seeking to work for innovative and forward-thinking companies. 2. Using social media is an effective way for companies to attract young professionals. With this generation being highly active on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Ballycatter, and LinkedIn, companies can establish a positive presence online by showcasing their culture, values, and career opportunities. Companies can provide more insight into their company culture, which can help attract and retain young professionals seeking meaningful and fulfilling work. 3. To retain young professionals long-term, it's important to emphasize development and growth opportunities. This generation is open to continuous professional development, debates, and voicing their opinions. They appreciate the convenience and flexibility of online learning through platforms like YouTube. Companies can attract young professionals by providing online learning and professional development opportunities.

Adapt or die

To secure its future, the industry must adapt and attract younger professionals. The industry can take the necessary steps to attract and retain the right talent. Emphasizing the industry's shift towards automation and innovation, using social media to showcase company culture and values, and providing development and growth opportunities are three effective ways to make working in the oil and gas industry more appealing to young professionals. It is crucial for the industry to take action now to secure its future and ensure a smooth transition of knowledge and expertise to the next generation. Sacha Le is a technical manager at Ballycatter Group and at 24 years old she is the youngest member of our team.

The Evolution of Marketing and Sales in the Oil and Gas Industry Yes, there is a big difference between “Then” and “Now” marketing and sales in the oil and gas industry. In the past, marketing and sales efforts were primarily focused on traditional methods such as print advertising, direct mail, and cold calling. Salespeople would often spend a lot of time traveling to meet with potential customers in person and build relationships through face-to-face interactions. However, with the rise of technology and the internet, marketing and sales efforts have shifted to digital channels. Online marketing methods such as search engine optimization, social media advertising, and content marketing have become increasingly popular. These methods allow companies to reach a wider audience and engage with potential customers on digital platforms. Similarly, online sales efforts such as websites and industrial marketplace platform have also become more prevalent in the industry. These websites and online platform allow buyers to research online, which can save time and increase efficiency for both the buyer and the company. The reason for this change is because customer habits have evolved. The amount of information available online continues to increase exponentially which has changed the behaviour of B2B customers. In the past, printed brochures or handbooks would enable the potential customers to; 1 - Become aware, 2 - Raise their interest, and 3 - Consider their options. Now, this increased information allows potential customers to proceed further in the sales funnel and move into; 4 – Intent to buy, and 5 – Evaluate alternatives. This is both an opportunity and issue in the oil and gas industry as account managers now have to ensure potential customers are well informed about their products and have not been mis-informed by others (or competitors) through misleading internet content.

Contracting Strategies for Oil and Gas Companies The oil and gas industry is more dynamic than ever but the demands on a limited number of people resources continues to increase. The traditional approach of hiring and training staff is becoming ineffective as the current workforce is increasingly mobile and investing in training and development provides limited return as the frequency of people changing employers increases. The popularity of contracting technical and project management among oil and gas companies continously increases and new contracting arrangements are being created. It is commonplace for a company to hire a person to fill a role in an organization without providing a long term employment contract but a fixed term assignment. Referred to as an advisor, 2nd party labour, or in-house support, this arrangement requires active recruitment and management as an employee but typically without the training requirements. This can be a short term solution but has a risk of creating a gap in the organization if the specific person chooses other employment. However, given the transient nature of employees, the commitments, obligations, and potential risks are very similar. Occassionally a company has a short term need for a specific task or project and the best fit is a skilled person who is contracted directly. This "Classic-Consulting" model is driven by finding the correct skill set and provides the flexibility for the contracted person to start and stop when tasks are complete. It is normal for the specific person to be used repeatedly, but works for others during "down-time". This provides oil and gas companies with flexibility on work commitment while still maintaining a high degree of control over the day to day activities.

Strategies for Determining the Optimal Duration of Sales Prospecting Your products match very good with a company that you have heard from. You think there is a good opportunity to make a potential sale. You do your homework, look online at social media, look at the website as preparation. It is Thursday morning; you call the organization but unfortunately you get the secretary. “She says that the prospect is in a meeting the whole day.” She asked friendly for you to call back the next day. The next day you call back and you receive the same answer of the secretary. “Sorry, no he is not here at the moment, but is it possible to make a call next week? Call on Tuesday at noon”. On Tuesday, at noon you call and again, same story from the lady. The question is how long do you keep trying to call? It depends, If you sell small equipment with a small profit than it is better not to try too long. Use your time for a new prospect. It is different when you sell long large projects, you only need a few in a year. In that, you keep going until you hear a yes or a no as answer.

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