Considering the changing energy landscape over the next few decades – from increased mineral requirements for clean energy technologies, including electric vehicles and battery storage, to net zero goals, to the increased exploration of petroleum reserves, as well as the pursuit of other alternatives forms, to name a few – the need for a new generation of industry professionals is on the minds of everyone in the profession.
Julian Chenin
In 2015, the United States had approximately 32,000 students pursuing geoscience degrees. By 2021, that number had declined to 20,000, according to a 2023 Geological Society of London report.
Presently, petroleum and mining still experience job losses, while environmental and geoscience fields see substantial growth. Specifically, companies that extract, transport and process fossil fuels employ roughly 25-percent fewer workers than they did a decade ago, according to an analysis of federal data by New York Times writer Andrew Barker, in a Jan. 14 article entitled “Why Oil Industry Jobs Are Down, Even With Production Up.”
It’s a dynamic that has a number of moving parts – and no one-size-fits-all answer.
Birth of the HGS Student Expo
During the 2024 HGS Student Expo
Even before the downturn in the number of students entering the geosciences, in 2009, the Houston Geological Society, particularly Martha Lou Broussard, knew the best way to bridge the gap between the present and the future was to literally get everyone in the same room.
And where better to have that room than in Houston, Texas, the energy capital in the world, in the guise of the Houston Student Expo?
The Expo actually began in 1998, but took off after Broussard and HGS decided to put their expertise and energies behind it.
Julian Chenin, co-chair of this year’s event, said that without Broussard – “Shoutout to the queen!” is how he put it – the Expo simply would not have become one of the largest geoscience recruiting events in the country.
“Bringing new and established geologists together, providing an avenue for interaction and enabling as many opportunities for students nationwide as possible in a way that would be beneficial to both groups – those were founding principles for the Student Expo,” said Chenin.
Building Community
And on September 15 and 16, at the Norris Conference Center in Houston, Chenin expects 300 students from 34 states and more than 70 universities – almost twice as many as attended just four years ago – to come together.
“We have continued to grow year over year (in terms of students, recruiters, and sponsors) since the Expo has been under the HGS umbrella,” he said.
Chenin, presently the strategic integrations and partnerships lead at ROGII, which provides upstream oil and gas operators, said the Expo is “all about building community.”
It’s a community more diverse than ever.
“We want to bring students together from across the country with a bunch of oil and gas companies for two full days of networking,” said Chenin.
That bunch of oil and gas companies includes some of the world’s most well-known, including Chevron, BP and ExxonMobil. Specifically, students who attend the Expo will be able to meet, learn and talk shop with a total of 19 recruiting companies and 24 total sponsors, while giving recruiters a unique opportunity to gauge interests and perspectives directly from students and young professionals. In addition, the Expo also allows deans from different institutions to get together to discuss common ground in higher education.
‘More Than a Job Fair’
Every member of this year’s committee, in fact, including Chenin – whether it was two or 20 years ago – were once students who came to the Expo.
Through the years, the Expo changed along with the times, from introducing virtual presentations during COVID-19, bolstering and spearheading university outreach and reviewing student resumes before the event actually got under way. Even the Expo’s happy hour was reinvented by offering students an opportunity to have their questions answered directly by recruiters.
Chenin said the changes to the format over the years has allowed everyone to better adapt to evolving industry needs.
In an increasingly digital world, especially post-pandemic, Chenin is most proud of the fact the Expo stands out by emphasizing human interaction and face-to-face networking, which he said is something that is often missed within the geoscience community.
To that end, on Day 1, each student attendee will have two hours to visit the recruiter exhibition. On Day 2, the entire exhibition will be open to all attendees.
Whiles students are, in his word, “absolutely ready when it comes to their technical repertoire,” he admits there are often tweaks in knowledge and capabilities that can be helpful and which, most importantly, industry professionals can (and want to) provide.
“The Expo will provide unique coaching opportunities designed to refine essential soft skills, such as communication, interviewing and presentation capabilities so students can best demonstrate their strong technical capabilities,” said Chenin. “The industry has continuously shown its readiness and enthusiasm to bring in the next generation of skilled students, demonstrating adaptability to evolving technological demands, including increased use of artificial intelligence and a sharper focus on renewable energies that are all underscored by a strong, technical, geoscience foundation.”
One of the most anticipated developments of this year’s Expo is the revival of student poster presentations, emphasizing the event’s educational and professional value.
“Poster sessions serve as platforms for students to showcase their research, exchange knowledge and engage directly with potential employers, reinforcing community-building within geoscience,” said Chenin.
Ultimately, while the HGS Student Expo tries to reach as many students and universities as possible, he emphasized it’s not just a job fair. In fact, there are undergraduates who come to the fair who aren’t even looking for work. These students will get a better idea of what the recruitment process looks like, such as how to pitch themselves, what skillsets are the most sought-after, while highlighting available scholarship opportunities.
A team of more than 20 professionals and students from a multitude of industries and backgrounds volunteer their time to make this event happen, and when the event is in full swing, more than 100 interviews will take place daily. Chenin emphasizes that the AAPG Division of Professional Affairs was, as it always has been, invaluable in volunteering their time and expertise.
“We are one of the few left,” he said of such an event, “and are committed to continuing to help students find that next opportunity and skyrocket their geo-career.”
Ultimately, Chenin said the Houston Student Expo is “where energy is changing and happening.”
It’s what the queen intended.