Empowering Technical and Soft Skills in Students and Young Professionals of the Oil&Gas Industry

Abstract

To contribute to the construction of young professionals with an integral profile in which the competitive spirit is promoted through the resolution of a technological challenge applied to the Oil & Gas industry, under a scenario that demands a high degree of commitment and with the accompaniment of professionals with great experience in the industry. In accordance with the data acquired and the program's target population, an appropriate methodology has been established for the development and strengthening of technical and soft skills. This methodology consists of four main phases: 1. Challenge construction 2. Best Teams selection 3. Challenge Resolution and 4. Results presentation. During the challenge resolution phase, participants have multiple technical and soft skills training sessions where experienced professionals share their knowledge and experiences related to the challenge theme in an environment of generational knowledge transfer. During the last 4 years, around 120 participants from different cities of the country have managed to potentiate their soft skills and strengthen their knowledge in areas of the Oil & Gas industry such as unconventional, enhanced recovery, heavy oil, huff & puff, combustion had tests, wettability, waterflooding, among others and materialize it with the construction of an innovative technological tool. The best of each version was rewarded with their first work experience in the Oil & Gas industry where they were able to put into practice what they had learned during the program. Likewise, the continuous acquisition of valuable information about variables at the end of the program such as the knowledge areas of greatest interest for students and young professionals, the level of knowledge related to oil engineering and programming, the handling of a second language, and the skills acquired during the university training stage, has allowed strengthening the methodology of the"SPE en Sinergia" program, adjusting it to the current needs of the industry and placing the participants outside their comfort zone. The development of the program and the results obtained are based on the identification of the strengths and weaknesses currently displayed by students in their final semesters and young professionals in careers related to petroleum engineering in Colombia and that in one way or another have become part of the reasons why their link to the professional world has become more difficult. This has enabled a way to identify opportunities for improvement and establish lines of action to promote the professional fast-track development of the new generations in a joint effort between industry and academia.