America leads the way for education for oil and gas jobs

The oil and gas industry proved its mettle during the recent global economic downturn. Rather than opting to streamline its workforce, the industry adopted a policy of freezing wages in order to retain those in oil and gas jobs. As the worldwide economy stabilizes itself, the oil and gas industry is in a better position than ever before to prepare itself for the future.

One Eye on the Horizon

America has certainly taken stock of its situation in the light of the recent recession. As a short-term measure it has created tax breaks and other financial incentives to encourage smaller companies to pick up where the main players have left off and to allow larger companies to explore and process new oil and gas reserves. However, it seems that the United States also has one eye firmly on the horizon.

America's National Science Foundation has awarded a grant of almost $300,000 to the Pennsylvania College of Technology. This sum has been given to the college to allow them to provide college-level courses to students wishing to pursue oil careers. With the US Government's recent support of the oil and gas industry, the future would seem to hold plenty of opportunities for those looking for long-lasting oil and gas jobs. The college itself will use the money to implement courses in a number of high schools, including some in the counties of Bradford and Sullivan. It will offer prospective students the chance to cultivate the skills necessary to work at the forefront of the industry.

Developing Skills

Because of the industry's expansion and the increase in consumer demand for oil and gas, companies are finding themselves constantly on the lookout for skilled applicants. The courses offered by high schools will cover a wide range of skills that will help to give candidates a ‘leg up' when applying for gas and oil jobs. Areas covered in the courses will be skills such as welding, electronics, diesel technology, the repair and operation of heavy equipment, forestry and information technology. By preparing future generations of workers with traditional and evolving skills, America is helping to ensure that its own gas and oil industry will be staffed by skilled people who are able to adapt quickly to constantly changing technologies and challenges. For those looking for oil careers, it means that there will be a greater freedom of choice on deciding which particular avenue of the industry they want to pursue.

The National Science Foundation is expected to award the college at least two more grants, each one worth around $300,000. These will be used to allow modifications to the curriculum, so that students will be exposed to the ever-changing advances that occur in this constantly evolving industry. Students who successfully complete the course will receive ‘college credits', which are designed to act as a qualification to either continue further study or move directly into oil and gas jobs. America's oil and gas industry has certainly learned some valuable lessons from the recent past and, in training a new generation of workers, looks set to secure its position in the long-term future.