Minority and female employment

The three main segments of the US oil and gas and petrochemical industries, namely upstream, midstream and downstream employed 1.2 million people in 2010. The upstream sector employed 60% of the total, followed by downstream which employed 23%. Of the 1.2 million people, African Americans totalled 98 000, Hispanic people 188 000 and women accounted for 19% of the 1.2 million people employed in the industries in 2010.

Job growth

Considering all types of job growth, IHS predict that between 2010 and 2030, 1.3 million direct job opportunities will be available in the oil and gas and petrochemicals industries. IHS expect that 32% of these jobs will be filled by African America and Hispanic workers whilst 185 000 of these jobs will be filled by women.

Between 2010 and 2030, it is estimated in the report that 63% of the jobs will develop will be blue collar, suggesting opportunities for workers in the US with high school diplomas and post secondary training. It is also reported by IHS that 23% of the job growth will be within scientific and managerial occupations.

Minority job opportunities

Between 2010 and 2030, IHS believe that Hispanic employment growth in the oil and gas and petrochemicals industries will slow due to faster increase of the Hispanic population and lower unemployment rate of Hispanics in general when compared to African Americans. By 2030, 20% of management, business and financial job opportunities are expected to be taken by minority workers.

As minority employment in the oil and gas industry is continuing to rise across the mid, up and downstream sectors, total employment levels are expected to rise from 1/4 of the total in 2010 to 1/3 in 2030.

Female employment growth

IHS believe that women will share in the growth of more skilled while collar jobs and more opportunities are likely to become available for female petroleum engineers, managers etc and is expected to increase by almost 70 000 up to 2030. However, the already low number of women in the semi skilled and unskilled blue collar groups are expected to fall further, keeping down female employment levels overall in the oil and gas and petrochemicals industries.

‘Traditionally’ female jobs in the Office and Administration Support (OAS) departments within the industry are also expected to fall, however, they will continue to maintain the majority of job opportunities for women in the industry. Yet, to 2030, IHS do expect that nearly as many jobs will be added for women in the management, business, financial professions as within the OAS category.

Written by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/exploration/10032014/female_minority_job_opportunities/