Eyes on the horizon: engaging, motivating, and developing energy industry young professionals

摘要

An eye-opening view into the mind of the energy industry young professional (YP), this paperdraws from multiple global surveys of the SPE Young Professionals Coordinating Committeeto provide insight into motivating factors, views of professional development, drivers forengagement in professional society activities, and influences behind choices to author andpresent technical papers.The surveys, authored and analyzed by young professionals, capture the opinions of asignificant pool of YPs from around the globe.The surveys delve into many facets of what motivates, inspires, interests, and compels YPsand discusses their emergent career choices and aspirations. YPs share their concernsrelated to taking the helm of the industry as a significant proportion of industry leadershipprepares to retire. Challenges related to absorbing hard-won expertise and experiences at anaccelerated rate are discussed. Attraction and retention issues are addressed and challengesrelated to acquiring management approval to attend events and take leadership roles in theSociety of Petroleum Engineers are investigated. Through the surveys, YPs share their viewsof the conference of the future, detailing the types of events that attract them.Opportunities to better engage and develop this contingent of the industry through novelinitiatives and programs are presented.