In the March/April issue of Drilling Contractor (DC) magazine, IADC President Jason McFarland discusses attracting and retaining new talent for the industry’s workforce. The needs and expectations of the younger workforce are shifting.
In a recent issue of DC, Subodh Saxena, Senior VP at Nabors Industries, states: “The cultural change involves understanding who today’s workers are and recognizing that we have to transform ourselves and move toward them.”
In order to understand and meet the expectations of the next-gen workforce, McFarland suggests going straight to the source – “to engage with these young professionals as early as possible in their careers with as much earnestness and authenticity as possible.”
He discusses the mutually beneficial relationship dynamic between the industry and young professionals:
“Drilling contractors and established energy professionals have knowledge, resources and ample opportunities to offer. Similarly, I believe the younger workforce can provide innovation, new perspectives and ingenuity.”
IADC has been constructing a career pathway for interested young professionals, starting with our Student Chapter program. This program provides opportunities for students to interact with the drilling industry and attend industry events; over 900 students have been sponsored to attend our international conferences since the program began in 2017.
McFarland states,
“Connections are a vital part of business and a valuable component of the Student Chapter program.”
Patterson-UTI recently hosted an event and 14 students from IADC Student Chapters were invited to attend. The students had a phenomenal time touring a rig and learning about different aspects of rig life.
The next step in the career pathway includes encouraging recent graduates and young professionals to join IADC committees or to become involved in other ways that speak to them. The IADC Young Professionals (YP) Committee has grown in scope this year and has added new events and opportunities for Members. YP Subcommittees have been formed over the past year in conjunction with our Regional Chapters in Australasia and South Central Asia.
McFarland closes by stating,
“Our role is to teach [the younger workforce] about the importance of what we do and why it’s necessary, to inform them of the opportunities available, and to provide a clear pathway for them in this industry. It’s our job to show them who we are and how much we care about the same things they care about – working with purpose, seeking solutions to complex issues, acting as respectful stewards of the environment, and leaving the world a slightly better and safer place than we found it.”
