On June 25-26, 2015, the Young Professionals (YP) Colombia Chapter organized a Technical Session supported by the AAPG Latin America & Caribbean Region and Gmas Company.

The session was open to young professionals and final semester geoscience students who applied in response to an open invitation published on the AAPG YP Colombia Chapter website and social media from June 1-22, 2015. Applicants sent a brief description of why they should be selected and what technical session topics interested them.  Students were required to show proof that they were in the final semester of study, and YPs submitted copies of their undergraduate diploma and their professional identification.

Of the 40 people applied to attend the session, only 32 were selected due to room and budget constraints. The number of nominations illustrates the interest of young professionals to participate and support the Colombia YP Chapter.

The Technical Session Program addressed both current industry trends and the challenging employment situation of young professional Colombian geoscientists. Topics covered included offshore exploration, a profile of geoscientists in the energy industry, exploration risk assessment methodologies, geochemistry and geochronology and petroleum systems modeling, as well as a tour of the Gmas laboratory facility.

Lectures included talks by professional geoscientists from Ecopetrol and Gmas and AAPG Visiting Geoscientists, as well as petroleum engineering students from the University of America Foundation, who delivered a presentation on Enhanced Oil Recovery.

The selection of session speakers emphasized the importance of linking new geoscientists and seasoned professionals, young professionals and students, and geoscientists and engineers.

The YP Colombia Chapter Technical Session had the following goals:

• Introduce young professionals to the technical aspects and the technology used in offshore exploration
• Illustrate the job prospects and current challenges to the young geoscientists in the energy industry
• Create a space for exchanging work experiences and discussing not only on professional/technical aspects of working in the industry, but also the personal and human aspects
• Facilitate networking among experienced professionals, young professionals and students
• Promote the AAPG YP Colombia Chapter and encourage young professionals in Colombia to be involved as an active member or a part of the board of directors.
• Publish the AAPG YP Colombia Chapter registration form
• Obtain coverage of the technical session in the petroleum industry’s local media

The Technical Session met all objectives established for the event and was a very positive experience for participants and speakers.

The presentation "The Geoscientist Profile in the Industry," became the ideal space to discuss the current employment situation for young professionals and how they should prepare for the current industry downturn Topics presented during the technical session covered current industry trends and topics of interested to those in attendance. Providing information about the YP Colombia Chapter and distributing the Chapter registration form provided an ideal space for individuals to become involved.

The Technical Session also received coverage by Oil TV News, which recorded the session and interviewed some of the session’s participant. The report was published online on June 26, 2015. 

The AAPG YP Colombia Chapter leaders believe that these spaces for interaction among students and recent graduates with senior professionals, accompanied by training and sharing experiences shape the main functions that the young professional chapters should develop.  We hope to continue to providing sessions like this one in Colombia and to share our success with YP chapters from other countries