The fourth annual Global Energy Talent Index (GETI), the world’s largest energy recruitment and employment trends report, has found that oil and gas professionals are concerned at a perceived lack of investment in their training and development.
The study, released on Tuesday, showed that nearly half of sector professionals believe their employers do not regularly invest in their training and one-in-three claimed not to have received any training in the past year.
Of those who do receive regular training, most respondents said it only relates to improving their current job performance.
Only 18 percent of respondents said training relates to skills beyond their current job, while just 14 percent said they were undertaking training to further their career.
The report, carried out by Airswift, a global workforce solutions provider for the energy, process and infrastructure sectors, and Energy Jobline, a global jobsite for the energy and engineering industries, provides annual insights into professional satisfaction with training and a number of wider cultural issues.
“Professionals report receiving less training than their hiring managers say they’re getting,” said Ford Garrard, managing director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Airswift. “This is mostly down to two reasons: first, staff having a narrow definition of training – webinars, mentoring and on-the-job training might not be ticked by staff, but are training – and second, companies not doing enough to shout about their training activities.”
“This poses a risk to firms as employees want to be developed and if they don’t think companies are investing in their training they may not be primed to absorb the lessons training is designed to impart. Even worse, they could look to move to another company who will more actively highlight their investment in training.”
Janette Marx, CEO at Airswift, said: “…I suspect that there is a perception issue at play in these results. Of course, there is room for improvement and companies should always look to improve the training on offer. But they should also work hard to communicate the opportunities that are already available to make sure employees are aware and able to make the most of them.”
The GETI report is also the industry’s most comprehensive salary and mobility study. Key findings within oil and gas showed that remuneration in the industry continues to rise.
Forty-two per cent of professionals have seen an increase in pay over the past year, with one-in-five reporting a raise of more than five per cent.
Two-thirds (64 per cent) of non-hiring professionals expect further pay increases in 2020, with 40 per cent eyeing raises above five per cent.
Ninety-one per cent of professionals would consider relocating to another region for their job, with career progression opportunities the number one factor attracting talent to a region.
Renewables and petrochemicals remain the biggest sources of competition for talent, winning the votes of 43 per cent and 32 per cent of those open to switching sectors, respectively.
Hannah Peet, managing director at Energy Jobline, said: “Competition for talent in the energy industry keeps getting tougher and tougher, with an already globally mobile workforce increasingly willing to switch to whichever sector presents the best opportunities.
“The oil and gas sector is well set up to succeed, with pay continuing to rise from a high base. However, it must guard against complacency by prioritising progression and providing a clear career path for all employees, regardless of seniority, location or gender.”
Airswift and Energy Jobline surveyed 21,000 energy professionals and hiring managers in 169 countries across five industry sub-sectors: oil and gas, renewables, power, nuclear and petrochemicals.
