An aging geoscience workforce coupled with college graduates lacking the requisite field experience to find employment could translate soon to a significant skills gap in the oilfield, according to a recent report from the American Geosciences Institute.
AGI’s Status of Recent Geoscience Graduates 2014 report was motivated by discussions with industry representatives who identified distinct gaps in the practical experience of graduates. The data in the report highlights the impact of booming enrollments and the challenges students face in matching their education to the hiring demands of the industry.
The report is a continuation to an ongoing study launched in 2013 and examines concerns raised about:
- The motivation for completing a geoscience major.
- The quantitative abilities of recent graduates.
- The available field and research experiences for students.
- The opportunities available to recent graduates in the workforce.
“Since this kind of research has not been previously done, we are now able to provide supporting data to the often anecdotally cited issues, most of which are neither new nor surprising, only now we are able to back them up,” said Carolyn Wilson, AGI report author.
The report discusses several trends from 2013 and sheds light on ongoing workforce issues, such as the retirement and replacement of baby boomers.
Approximately 48 percent of the geoscience workforce is 55 and older, and AGI expects approximately 29 percent to retire over the next decade. AGI also predicts there will be more than 51,000 graduates over the next decade as well.
However, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 14 percent increase in the number of geoscience jobs by 2022. Therefore, the expected supply of geoscientists may not meet the full demand in the workforce.
Impacts on Employability
Wilson believes the workforce predictions highlight two critical points.
“First, geosciences will continue to be a lucrative career opportunity for future graduates. Second, because a large number of current geoscientists are reaching retirement, industries should be concerned about the potential major loss of skills and knowledge from the future workforce,” she said.
Two other key trends Wilson noted from the study were the increase in graduates not participating in internships and the shortage of available spaces to attend field camps and courses during their course studies.
Both factors could potentially impact employability for these graduates as work and field experience remain top qualifications for new hires.
“While jobs are currently available in the geosciences, many graduates appear to have struggled finding employment,” Wilson said.
Students interviewed mentioned lack of networking, experience and development of professional skills as barriers to finding employment.
However, the report indicates that nearly all graduates participated in at least one field experience. The report did note that not every student wanting to go to a field camp had the opportunity. This could be due to the fact that it may be difficult for students to gain admittance to field camps outside of their institution if their own institution does not have them.
Why these students are still struggling to find employment is a question AGI will continue to examine, Wilson said.
Other information released noted an increase in bachelor’s graduates with plans to attend graduate school – however, there is concern that geoscience graduate departments are reaching capacity, making it more difficult to accommodate this increase in demand for continuing education.
“It is difficult to predict how these trends will affect the geoscience workforce in the future. However, this information creates a baseline understanding of the knowledge and skills gained by recent graduates as they enter the workforce,” Wilson said.
“This data can inform industry representatives on the potential training needs of future employees.”
A Changing Culture
Wilson believes economic drivers and technological advancements have changed the geoscience workforce dramatically over recent decades, which have changed the culture and expectations of early-career geoscientists. This could benefit the industry, if the younger generation is plugged in properly.
“I would like to see more collaboration between industry and higher education to help facilitate the transition from graduate to geoscientist,” she said.
Read the full report.