Careers in the Oil and Gas Industry: Opportunities on the Horizon: Insights from Jerry Gauche, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for National Oilwell Varco

These days everyone seems to be scrambling for a job, and when you read stories about “recession-proof jobs” and “booming industries,” the oil and gas business rarely even gets a mention. Yet Jerry Gauche, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for National Oilwell Varco (NOV), offered an optimistic view of careers in the field, and provided some valuable insights for job seekers from inside the industry.

About a year ago oil and gas prices were crippling consumers across the globe, but in the past few months they have dropped dramatically, leaving many to wonder about the future of the oil and gas industry and whether or not to pursue a career in the field. According to Gauche, the medium- to long-term outlook is positive, and he predicts that as the world comes out of the economic downturn, the regeneration in incomes and standards of living will increase the demand for oil and natural gas and recharge business for the industry.

Are They Looking For You?

Dramatic ups and downs in the past required oil and gas companies across the industry to freeze hiring for extended periods of time. As a result the industry now finds itself with an aging workforce, with a large percentage retiring within the next 10 years. Gauche and other experts predict that the industry will have to bring in new hires in droves in the coming years in order to survive and grow. Significant hiring will not occur immediately, yet there are currently various opportunities in the oil and gas industry, and according to Gauche, oil and gas companies are always recruiting talented individuals with a wide range of skills and backgrounds. Right now engineering, sales and marketing and corporate functions offer career possibilities in the industry. Additionally, oil and gas companies utilize technology for equipment and services with a growing demand for individuals with computer and IT skills. Welders, service technicians and other trade skills are in high demand in the field and the number of these positions will continue to grow. Gauche’s company, National Oilwell Varco, designs, manufactures and sells equipment that drills oil-producing wells worldwide, and like many other companies, will have openings wherever it provides services.

Looking Towards the Future

With a majority of its workforce approaching retirement, the oil and gas industry is entering a transition phase. Individuals entering the industry can expect to take on significant accountability and responsibilities early in their careers. Job seekers will see companies competing for talent and trying to distinguish themselves by how they manage, develop and acquire their talent. As the industry changes and brings in new employees, there will be a significant generation gap within oil and gas field’s workforce. Gauche noted that companies will likely respond to this situation by recruiting established workers to mentor new employees, and companies and employees will benefit from integrating the talents of the outgoing and incoming workers and the relationships between seasoned and younger professionals. This will diversify organizations as well as the culture of the industry as a whole.

The oil and gas industry is a dynamic field and as it continues to grow will require high-caliber individuals with diverse talents and skills. People of all backgrounds who are interested in the field and eager to learn can find careers of value and opportunity in oil and gas.

Listen to the entire show.

This interview was conducted on the Total Career Success radio show via VoiceAmerica Radio with Ken and Sheryl Dawson, principals of Total Career Success, Inc. (www.betterjobbetterlife.com) and co-authors of Job Search: The Total System.

Posted by Sheryl Dawson

Sheryl Dawson is CEO of Dawson Consulting Group, a talent management firm in Houston, TX, and COO of Total Career Success, Inc., a job search and career development firm offering products and services to the retail, college and university career center, and professional association markets. She is co-author of Job Search: The Total System, 3rd edition available at www.betterjobbetterlife.com. She co-hosts “Total Career Success,” an internet radio show on VoiceAmerica and World Talk Radio http://www.voiceamerica.com/voiceamerica/vshow.aspx?sid=1441