Albert Kahlow: Men still hold the majority of positions. But the balance is shifting. Over the last decade, operators and engineering firms have taken a more proactive approach to gender diversification. Typically, they’ll engage a workforce solutions provider to drive this and establish KPIs around numbers of female hires. We’ve also seen a bigger push from educational institutions around communicating the benefits of STEM careers.
OG: Can you see a time when the workforces of the major regional oil and gas operators become predominantly local?
AK: Improvements have been made around nationalisation in the Middle East. This is due in part to apprenticeship and graduate schemes. Roles such as HR and procurement are areas where 85% of employees are local. However, there is a balance to be struck. Operators are building their skills in disciplines such as geosciences and process engineering, so there is a need for some expatriate knowledge and mentoring programmes.
