Petrochemicals Recruitment and Workforce Solutions

Experts in staffing and mobility for petrochemicals and downstream oil and gas

The petrochemicals sector has a bright future ahead of it, according to information from the International Energy Agency (IEA). However, despite the positive trends, a number of energy companies are struggling to staff their downstream oil and gas and petrochemicals projects, and need to refine their recruitment strategies to find the best talent.

While some petrochemical products have been under the spotlight for their roles in climate change (single-use plastics, for instance), the IEA highlights that petrochemical-produced parts also play a key role in the construction of renewable energy solutions such as wind turbine blades, solar panels, electric vehicle parts and more.

Demand for plastics, according to the IEA, has outpaced all other bulk materials and has doubled since 2000. As of 2015, advanced economies such as Europe and the USA used nearly 20 times more plastic and ten times more fertiliser than developing nations - regions where serious growth in the petrochemicals sector is set to occur in the future.

Petrochemicals will account for over a third of the growth in oil demand up to 2030, and nearly half up to 2050, according to the IEA. Petrochemicals will also consume an additional 56 billion cubic metres of natural gas by 2030.

The impending talent crisis in downstream oil and gas

However, despite the potential for petrochemical producers to start new projects across the globe and ride the upward trend, hiring managers will recognise that there’s an emerging problem within the industry, too - an impending talent crisis.

The Global Energy Talent Index (GETI) 2019 report, produced by Airswift and Energy Jobline, lays petrochemical recruitment problems bare. 52% of petrochemicals professionals who took part in the survey say their company has been impacted by a skills shortage, while almost half of respondents are living in fear of an impending talent crunch. A full third say a talent crisis has already hit the industry.

The inability to fill petrochemical positions with the best talent possible can disrupt project timeframes and hit budgets hard. The best way to address these problems is to partner with a specialist workforce solutions provider who can help you find and mobilise the best downstream oil and gas talent.

The benefits of partnering with a petrochemicals recruitment specialist

Airswift’s recruitment experts have helped transform the talent acquisition and mobility strategies of some of the biggest energy, process and infrastructure companies in the world over the last four decades, with our talented recruitment specialists and consultants also able to extend their services to the petrochemicals industry.

Our coverage is international. Airswift has 60 interconnected recruitment offices in multiple global regions including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the CIS region, North and Latin America, and more. Our offices are also complemented by super hubs in Houston, Texas, Manchester, UK, and Singapore.

We’re proud of our 96% contractor satisfaction rate. We’re passionate about transforming lives through work, and providing speed, agility, mobility and more to hiring managers to help them build the best teams possible.

Airswift is here to help you find the best talent for your petrochemical projects now and in the future, wherever your project is based and however competitive the talent landscape.

Looking for the best in petrochemicals talent?

Talk to Airswift about your staffing and project requirements

Providing essential recruitment and workforce solutions for petrochemicals

Whatever products your petrochemicals company produces, and whatever plans you have for the future, it’s essential your hiring managers have access to the very best people available in any and every region you’re operating in.

Our experts can not only help you find those people, but also provide solutions for other workforce challenges you may face, including:

  • Talent Acquisition: Airswift will work with you to develop a talent acquisition and pipeline strategy to staff any and every project with the right people. Our services include contract hire, direct hire and engaged search.
  • Global Mobility: Airswift’s recruitment experts will help your petrochemicals company with global immigration, relocation services, global employment outsourcing and more, providing you with agile solutions for your petrochemical projects.
  • Executive and Board Search: Airswift will help you to find new leaders though our Ducatus Partners advisory firm, who have wide-ranging experience finding the best in leadership talent throughout the entire value chain.
  • Consulting: Airswift can provide consultancy, talent analytics and Total Workforce Intelligence (TWI) data to help you plan an effective downstream oil and gas recruitment strategy with key industry data.
  • Managed Solutions: Airswift helps petrochemical companies reduce the complexity of managing a large global workforce through recruitment process outsourcing, assessment, screening, vendor management systems and more.

Candidates can see a full range of our current vacancies at https://jobs.airswift.com 

Key findings from the 2019 GETI report: Petrochemicals

Based on a survey of 17,000 energy professionals from 162 countries, the 2019 GETI report provides a comprehensive overview of the impending talent crisis in downstream oil and gas recruitment. Key findings include:

  • 11% of respondents say that remuneration for professionals in the petrochemicals sector has fallen
  • 91% say they would consider relocating to another region for a petrochemicals position
  • 36% value career progression over financial compensation, especially younger workers
  • The Middle East is the most popular region to relocate to, thanks in part to the boom in petrochemical projects that make use of newer, innovative technologies
  • 55% say engineering is, or will be, the hardest-hit discipline in terms of skills shortages
  • Just under a quarter of hiring managers say problem-solving is their most in-demand skill, while 18% say they struggle to find leadership candidates
  • 55% say these skills shortages are causing both decreased efficiency and increased operating costs
  • 47% believe they result in reduced productivity, while 38% are worried the talent crisis could increase the likelihood of HSE incidents

Get your copy now for more petrochemicals staffing insight

For more insights like this, download your copy of the 2019 GETI report now. In addition to the latest industry insight, you’ll benefit from practical data such as salary guides, hiring rates and more.

And, perhaps most importantly with fears of a talent crisis within the industry, the report offers key insights on how best to attract and retain the talent that will make a difference to your wider recruitment strategy.

Visit the GETI site to download the report