You’ve probably heard all about the “Big Crew Change.” During the next few years, about one third of today’s oil and gas professionals are going to retire. For an executive manager of an oil and gas company, that presents a huge challenge – as companies everywhere race to fill the gaps in their workforces. What does the Big Crew Change mean for you? Opportunity! [Keep reading]
For all the emphasis placed on competency development, training budgets are almost always the first cut during any kind of down turn. For competency management to become more than a Human Resource Management fad it will have to demonstrate quantified financial return. This abstract outlines one approach to quantify the return on competency development investments. [Keep reading]
The years just ahead offer terrific opportunity for petroleum professionals in the early stages of their careers. With the Big Crew Change upon us, thousands of senior-level professionals will soon retire. Early- and mid-career professionals will rise to fill their ranks – and the greatest gains will go to those with the greatest talent and drive to seize the opportunity. One of the most important steps you can take to propel your career is to improve your technical knowledge and skills, and broaden your perspective. But it’s not just about “taking courses.” I can tell you, based on my diverse and exciting experiences over a long career, that the courses you choose – and the organization that provides them – make all the difference. [Keep reading]
What’s the difference between a “good” teacher and a “bad” teacher, between a great learning experience and a bore? Intuitively, we all know the difference. Bad teachers are dull and uninspiring. Their lectures drone on and on, and before long it’s a struggle just to stay awake. I had an English professor once who so inspired me that I spent time in the library expanding my knowledge of the literature we were discussing. Making an “A” in his class was easy. [Keep reading]
In the drilling contractor and other oilfield service markets, the most painful manifestation of the Big Crew Change is in entry-level employees... [Keep reading]
After devoting 39 years to drilling operations and research for Exxon – and then another 20 years consulting and teaching drilling for OGCI/PetroSkills – you’d think I’d be ready for something else. But to me, drilling seems as fascinating today as was the day I visited my first drilling rig... [Keep reading]
