engineering education

Finding talent to advance technologies for energy transition is among the top concerns for executives in oil and gas, utilities, chemicals, mining, and agribusiness. Talent shortages, especially for technical experts, are slowing down progress.

The expanded scope of our evolving industry means that members of the petroleum engineering profession will enjoy a long, rewarding career. At the same time, we will need to continue developing our competencies to enable expected contributions in producing new forms of energy resources.

The industry continues its move toward energy transition, demonstrating different stages among companies. These industry changes are affecting our current and future members, and SPE is working to provide guidance and education to our members through many avenues.

The trend in falling petroleum engineering graduation rates is good for job seekers.

Spending plans announced by oil and gas companies indicate that about 80% of their budgets are directed toward traditional E&P, efforts to reduce emissions and carbon footprints, and sustainable investment in new energy. It is reasonable to expect that with these budget increases, there will be an uptick in the employment of petroleum professionals.

When it comes to workers’ salaries in oil and gas vs. clean energy, how does their compensation compare? The answer depends on the roles of workers and their locations, qualifications, experience, training—and personal decisions.

Opening additional channels of communication with our members provided important feedback to move forward with the Strategic Plan.

The model of “learn at school and do at work” is outdated and must keep up with the changing environment of the Industrial Revolution 4.0. Petroleum engineering curricula, therefore, must also change accordingly. It is time to examine the core curricula being taught at petroleum schools so that long-term sustainability can be established.

Petroleum industry engineering and geoscience professionals must evolve both to meet the challenges of the energy transition and to continue to provide the feedstock for hydrocarbon-based products needed for a stable and robust economy. Petroleum engineering schools and geoscience programs have the opportunity to expand education and equip people with the critical exp…

How to use the new SPE Competency Matrices to prepare for the SPE Certification Exam and the SPE Competency Management Tool to address skills gaps to excel in the energy industry in the 21st century.