The energy workforce lags

Image

The energy workforce lags

Description: Even as numerous industries struggle to make their workforces look more like cross-sections of the population, the energy sector in particular is running behind. The Forum’s Industry Gender Gap report in 2016 found energy among the worst in representation of women. Catalyst reports that women account for 22% of the oil and gas workforce. (IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, said last year that women make up 32% of the renewable energy workforce.)

In the United States, the figures are even worse for African-Americans. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that only about 5% of people employed in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction are black, compared to 13.4% of the population. Four years ago, 22 oil and gas companies released, via the Forum, a “call to action” to close the gender gap, which included a promise to reach “diversity goals and objectives”. My organization, Pink Petro, then assembled stakeholders to discuss what specific steps could help bring these goals to fruition.

We produced a report listing recommendations, which range from sponsorship, mentoring and coaching programs to recruitment and retention metrics, support for affinity networks, outreach to the STEM community and more. It’s time more energy companies everywhere take these actions. The energy sector needs a major shift – a shift into high gear. If any of these commitments oil giants are making will come true, it will be the result of new, creative ideas, technologies, scientific discoveries and advancements provided by a diverse workforce.

Joel James
Journal Manager
Oil and Gas Research