Why You Should Work In Oil And Gas
When it comes to the energy sector, much of modern society’s imagination is fixated upon relatively newer technologies like solar panels or wind turbines. Despite the emphasis on going green, however, the oil and gas sector remains a vibrant and crucial element of the modern marketplace that shows little to no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Many workers and students are nevertheless turning away from oil and gas due to mistaken beliefs that they’re a thing of the past.
They couldn’t be more wrong – oil and gas will remain strong for the foreseeable future and will continue to offer tantalizing jobs to many. Here’s why you should consider working in oil and gas.
The naysayers have always been crying about doom
Many critics of the oil and gas sector argue that it’s a thing of the past and can’t possibly remain financially viable for long. What these critics don’t seem to understand is that this is an argument that’s been around for as long as the oil and gas sector itself has been – coal executives, nuclear power proponents, and renewable energy specialists have all claimed that they would be the undoing of oil and gas only to see the latter survive and thrive time and time again. The naysayers have always been crying about doom, but the market says otherwise.
As a matter of fact, as recently as 2015 the media headlines were jam-packed with claims that oil and gas workers would soon be suffering from economic anxiety and widespread job loss. The truth of the matter ended up being the opposite – just a few years later oil and gas was enjoying unprecedented prosperity, and the sector continues to be on a hiring upswing that’s expected to last well into the 2020s, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In other words, you can dismiss any concerns that working in oil and gas is a temporary gig, because these jobs are likely to stick around for years if not decades. That’s because the pivot to renewable technologies is occurring much more sluggishly than many of its proponents claimed it would go, and because certain things simply can’t be trusted to wind turbines. The military’s desperate thirst for energy, for instance, can never be quenched in a secure and reliable fashion outside of the oil and gas sector’s continued supply of combustible, cheap, and easily-transportable goods.
Jobs are incredibly well paying
Another reason to work in the oil and gas sector is that it’s incredibly fulfilling from a financial standpoint. Whether you’re an incredibly intelligent petroleum engineer or merely an uneducated well worker who’s nevertheless talented with their hands, the oil and gas sector offers a myriad of profitable opportunities just waiting to be exploited by those with the perseverance to pursue the job. Top oilfield jobs can net six digit salaries, as drill operators, well testers, chemical engineers and supervisors are constantly needed.
It’s thus worthwhile to consider well control training or other practical jobs training initiatives, even if you lack a formal college education. As a matter of fact, blue collar workers usually enjoy prosperous lives in no small part because the oil and gas sector needs people who are experts with hands-on work and capable of offering a new perspective that’s unfamiliar to those who spend too much time in the classroom. The surprising benefits of blue collar work in the oil and gas sector should thus convince those who think they lack the certifications that anybody can make it in this industry if they have grit, wits, and the ability to work hard.
Between the amazing job security, excellent salaries, and opportunity to contribute to one of the economy’s most important sectors, the oil and gas industry is replete with reasons for newcomers to sign up as soon as possible.