Feature article

New tools for talent management

16/08/2008

Petroleum Review

The oil and gas industry is at heart a people business. Scientists and technicians have years of experience that are harnessed to boost productivity of existing fields and to develop new resources.

It takes years to develop the proper skills. Globally speaking, the oil and gas industry employs the best engineering and technical experts and specialists. However, there is a cloud on the horizon. Over the next 10 years, a “brain drain” event is predicted as increasing numbers of experienced engineers reach retirement age and leave the industry. This exodus will impact maturing nations, especially in Europe.

Chris van der Spiegel, Resourcing & Development Manager at Shell Global Solutions, says, “This comes at a time when energy resources are in focus on the world stage. And there is a need to develop technologies and new ways of thinking to make products even more sophisticated. To achieve this, the sector has to maintain its skill levels and attract new talent.”

Recently, science-based subjects have fallen in popularity globally, which has led to a diminishing graduate talent pool. Graduates are attracted to new industries such as information technology (IT), finding them more appealing than the traditional sectors such as oil and gas.

Mr. van der Spiegel adds, “Action is needed to grow the talent pool by attracting new brain power. But we must also ensure that the industry retains critical knowledge within the business to sustain this talent pipeline. By creating a resourcing strategy that focuses on attracting high-level graduates over the next five years, there can be a planned mentoring and capability programme. This will play a vital role in knowledge transfer and continued innovation.”

Organisations such as Shell Global Solutions are working with educators to help students appreciate the opportunities that exist within the energy industry. One way in which the industry is addressing the need to attract new brain power is through the rise in internships over recent years. These allow undergraduates to get a foot in the door, whilst also allowing employers to vet potential recruits without the need for large investment.

In 2007 Shell recruited more than 100 interns in Europe alone. The paid experience at Shell lasts between eight weeks and 12 months and gives students a real chance to prove themselves in a challenging environment. It offers interns a chance to become involved in real business projects whilst working and networking with fellow interns and Shell employees.

“There is no such thing as a typical day for an intern as all Shell interns are dealing with real business issues from day one. When interns join Shell, they are seen as part of the team and they have real responsibilities on a daily basis. We believe that an internship at Shell is mutually beneficial,” said Mr. van der Spiegel.

If an intern is successful they are given the chance to progress their career in the company and Shell will search for a suitable position for them within the organisation.

With its global reach, the energy industry attracts talent from around the world. Asian universities are graduating almost as many engineers and chemists as Europe and the US combined. Developed countries increasingly lack the necessary skill sets, and talent-rich countries — such as India, Russia and China — are likely to provide a growing talent pool in the future. This will mean a greater flexibility in terms of the technical and cultural skill sets and the need for a more complex recruitment process.

“Wherever the talent comes from, the key to attracting the best people is the ability to excite them. Meeting the challenges that we face will take the industry to the next level,” adds Mr. van der Spiegel.

“While looking for external talent, we must not neglect what we already have – retention is just as important. Those already within the business need to have the same career opportunities as those who are being attracted by incentives.”

“Identifying where the talent lies is not enough to ensure success. If a business is going to be losing key skill sets, then we need a programme of knowledge transfer—sooner rather than later. Experienced people need opportunities to coach and mentor newer employees, and this will undoubtedly take them away from their traditional roles. We cannot escape this if the long-term health of the skill pool is to be protected. Innovation does not appear overnight; it is something that must be nurtured and developed,” concludes Mr. van der Spiegel.

Andrew Webster joined Shell in 2004 as part of Shell Global Solutions based in the Netherlands. Andrew’s role involved working in the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) group, reviewing the designs of a range of compressors that were to be used at Shell LNG plants in Nigeria and Oman. He stayed in this role for nine months before moving on to Shell Chemicals as a rotating equipment engineer.

By offering graduates a variety of roles within its five-year graduate Develop programme, Shell ensures that their employees develop, understand and learn how to operate effectively in all parts of its business. Giving employees a real job with real responsibility from day one means that graduates are in a position to achieve their full career potential.

At the Fredericia plant in Denmark, Andrew leads the reliability team that is responsible for maintaining the operation of the rotating equipment on the entire site. Webster works alongside other graduates at this location and returns to his former university to share his experiences since joining Shell.