Oilpatch faces human resources shortfall - Article

[ExtraSlow]

Check out the article in the Herald ( Herald Article - Oilpatch Jobs )
and the referenced report ( The Decade Ahead )
Good time to be an engineer. Anyone not sure what to do with thier lives, get your steam ticket now.

[alieno1]

I hope it's true, I'll need a job after I graduate from NAIT's instrumentation program.

[Perceptionist]

If these predictions come true, you'd have to think that Calgary real estate would boom with all the hiring. 130,000 new workers would need somewhere to live, right?
It seems to me that lots of baby boomers are retiring much later than the expected 55 or 60, and are continuing to work well into their sixties. They've been talking about all the jobs of the older generation opening up for years, but I can't say I've seen much evidence yet.

[Graham_A_M]

Im going back in the next few weeks myself.
I got a few very good leads/references from a few very sought after companies, so off I go. Time to FINALLY be able to afford a house.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by Perceptionist
If these predictions come true, you'd have to think that Calgary real estate would boom with all the hiring. 130,000 new workers would need somewhere to live, right?

yes but; 1) only a fraction of those jobs would be in Calgary. Something like 20% I think and 2) that's the high case, it's only 40,000 jobs in the low case.

Still, I do think this will be positive for Calgary real estate, and for the salaries young energy professionals.


As to your other point about people working later, that's a real trend, but it only delays the inevitable. Besides, the recession probably hurt the savings of those people, so they need a few extra years to hit their retirement targets. They are still going to retire eventually.

I know in my company, there is a big demographic gap between about ages 50 and 30. Very few people in that age range. That may cause a leadership vacuum once the older set leaves. Anyone else seeing this at their shop?

[Pinner]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow


I know in my company, there is a big demographic gap between about ages 50 and 30. Very few people in that age range. That may cause a leadership vacuum once the older set leaves. Anyone else seeing this at their shop?

People under 30 already know everything

[msommers]

This seems to be a recurring article. And the recurring statement is that the people most in need are folks in trades, not really the ones in professional positions.

For my sake, I hope more jobs open up. I know a number of friends at school that worked downtown for a summer term said their mentor and team were typically 40+. Personally, everyone was pretty darn close to 50.

[IggyB]

Originally posted by alieno1
I hope it's true, I'll need a job after I graduate from NAIT's instrumentation program.

Have you considered looking for a summer job in the instrument field?

[alieno1]

Originally posted by IggyB


Have you considered looking for a summer job in the instrument field?

Hey Iggy,

I already have work lined up in an unrelated field this summer, but I'm sure next summer after I'm finished 3/4's of my schooling I'll definitely want to sign on for an internship with a company. First I gotta at least finish semester one of instrumentation. Sure looking forward to my finals in a month...NOT! It's a tough program, but I'm adapting.

Anyways time to study, take care.

[Supa Dexta]

As more workers are needed, and theres no one to fill them fast enough, they will offer more perks. One of which being not having to live in AB.. You'll have more and more people traveling here to work, so you can't just assume they will be living in calgary/edmonton/fort mac... Where ever...

[broken_legs]

Originally posted by Supa Dexta
As more workers are needed, and theres no one to fill them fast enough, they will offer more perks. One of which being not having to live in AB.. You'll have more and more people traveling here to work, so you can't just assume they will be living in calgary/edmonton/fort mac... Where ever...

Truth. Check the slights out of Kelowna for Ft. Mac.

Suncor was just in Kamloops running a hiring fair claiing you can still live here.

[adamc]

Time for all the old codgers in downtown Calgary to exercise their options and GTFO.

Like, you're a 70 year old drilling superintendent that has spent 50 years in the patch, might be about time to start living your life and hang up the boots.

[Pinner]

Originally posted by adamc
Time for all the old codgers in downtown Calgary to exercise their options and GTFO.

Like, you're a 70 year old drilling superintendent that has spent 50 years in the patch, might be about time to start living your life and hang up the boots.

So your solution for the shortage of workers, is to get rid of the senior staff ?

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by adamc
Time for all the old codgers in downtown Calgary to exercise their options and GTFO.

Like, you're a 70 year old drilling superintendent that has spent 50 years in the patch, might be about time to start living your life and hang up the boots.

IMO, we are not lack of workers.

We are lack of "qualified" workers.

So many idiots that don't know shit got work during the boom that qualified people are now in short supply to fix their mistakes.

There will be shortage but not shortage of noobs.

[SJW]

It would be awesome if this translated into a housing shortage. I need to get rid of my rental property.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by SJW
It would be awesome if this translated into a housing shortage. I need to get rid of my rental property.

It won't. We are still urban crawling like crazy. Developer will have enough inventory to meet the needs. The boom of 05-08 was cause by industry not able to keep up with demand. Unless Mayor stops the sprawl, you won't see much price increase for old homes.

And if 05-08 does show up again, you'll be collecting mad rent $ anyway.

[adamc]

Originally posted by Pinner


So your solution for the shortage of workers, is to get rid of the senior staff ?

My point is that companies need to start investing money in developing new talent. It's fucking hard to break in to certain parts of this business because the good ole boys club is still alive and well.

Paying a drilling sup 50k a month when a lot of them are just "phoning it in" is detrimental to the industry's progression. Yes these guys are highly experienced and have a lot of knowledge to pass down, but companies can't properly bring new guys up when they are continuously taking such a massive payroll hit from the old guard.

Package 'em out, rehire the best of them to work in mentor/training roles at a reduced rate, and bring some of the fresh minds in.

[adamc]

Also, industry has a long way to go in terms of quality of life for the people that are the heart of the oil patch, the field employee.

Particularly the drilling side, nothing has changed since the 1970s in terms of work consistency, communication from the oil companies, etc. A rig hand can drive 10 hours to location, only to be told that the oil co. has decided not to drill the next well, and he's out of pocket on the $200 in fuel he spent and a lost day of work.

There's not a clearly defined career path for a lot of the guys that choose to work in the field either. The apprenticeship program is in shambles and isn't taken seriously by anyone, there is no incentive for a guy to take time off to develop his skills. Not when he's unsure whether he has work next month.

[msommers]

Originally posted by adamc


My point is that companies need to start investing money in developing new talent. It's fucking hard to break in to certain parts of this business because the good ole boys club is still alive and well.

At the company I was at for the summer and fall term, the president came out and said in a town hall meeting one month after I left that "we are not a training ground." I wish I was in attendance for that one. That's probably the shortest foresight one can have.

According to all the geologist I worked with though, training isn't what it used to be because companies are getting cheaper and cheaper but expecting the same level of education or more. Even in the 80's when shit hit the fan, people were getting sent on courses, taking field and day trips, etc to ensure they did their job properly. That does still happen now to an extent, but the volume is nothing like it used to be.

[Darkane]

Originally posted by broken_legs



Truth. Check the slights out of Kelowna for Ft. Mac.

Suncor was just in Kamloops running a hiring fair claiing you can still live here.

Yep.

Companies have no choice.

I know a guy working at Connoco SAGD and his shift is 2wk's in 2 wk's out. He lives in Montreal lol.

Get's paid McMurray money. If the marriage can handle it - FUCK YES.