Katy Heidenreich
As the UK offshore oil and gas industry embarks on an unprecedented recruitment drive, we should expect to see a more diverse workforce come to light. A new book, featuring inspiration and advice from high-profile women in the sector, sheds light on a rewarding and fulfilling career – irrespective of one’s gender.
The UK oil and industry is in the midst of a recruitment drive like never before, as it continues to emerge from a downturn.
According to UKCS Workforce Dynamics Review, a report commissioned by Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO), together with the Robert Gordon University Oil and Gas Institute, the industry will need to recruit over 40,000 people by 2035 to satisfy demand.
This will include around 10,000 people in new areas – or roles that don’t yet exist – including data science, robotics, material science, nanotechnology and cybersecurity. The companies that will succeed in upskilling will be those that already understand the advantages of having a diverse workforce.
This should see more women recruited into the industry, believes Katy Heidenreich, author of a new book, The Oil Industry’s Best Kept Secret: A book full of inspiration and advice.
Launched in November 2018 – with the backing of BP, the Oil & Gas Technology Centre, Shell and Baker Hughes, a GE company – the book’s central aim is to encourage more women to pursue careers in the critical energy industry. This is underpinned by profile pieces and interviews of women who have already smashed through the glass ceiling of the offshore oil and gas sector – from engineers and field specialists to chief executives.