Gerardo Gaitan (Royal Holloway, University of London), explains what the Third Young Professionals Summit scheduled for 18-19 November 2021 is all about.
Young professionals (YPs), now more than ever, acknowledge the importance that we have in the energy mix and to the future of the energy sector. Nevertheless, according to recent statistics, about 50% of young professionals in the UK have said they are preoccupied and/or uncertain about their future. So, how can we help a fellow YP? How can we make sure that we are not bombarding them with too many online events, webinars, and conferences?
This is not another discussion on how much we will need our younger generations to tackle the next societal and energy problems. This article is intended to shed light on what a network of YPs is doing globally to help our younger generations to be ready and start being part of the energy solution.
We must strive to listen to what our YPs have to say and heed their struggles. We should learn from previous ups-and-downs in the oil and gas industry. In this respect, we must also understand differences and complications. For example, this generation unlike previous ones has to take global warming into consideration. We have to work together to protect the environment as the energy sector evolves and hopefully thrives with better technologies and practices, themselves only possible with the collaboration and the exchange of ideas.
YPs around the world face unique challenges, especially after months of lockdowns and economic hardship. With these challenges, however, comes an opportunity for professional development and personal growth. That is why some of us have taken the bull by the horns and committed to help via the YP Summit, an event organized for YPs by YPs in the energy sector.
The YP Summit promotes cross-disciplinary collaboration and industry exchange of ideas to equip our young generations with the necessary tools they need. It was the first event of its kind in the UK and Europe, and now has been imitated with similar initiatives both in Europe and further afield.
The YP Summit is not only targeted at recent graduates or young people. It is inclusive of any YP in the first 10 years of their career regardless of the age. Whether you are a recent graduate or someone trying to change roles within the industry, this summit is for you. We aim to improve the communication and relationship between experienced professionals and YPs. It is not entirely up to older generations to pass on the knowledge they have fostered through years of experience. It is also up to us YPs to take the initiative and look for the answers we strive to find.
The idea of the YP Summit began in 2017 and has been a great success ever since. We have successfully delivered the YP Summit in London (2018) and in Aberdeen (2019). Due to the pandemic restrictions, we postponed the 2020 event until the autumn of 2021. The third edition will be held on 18-19 November 2021, online.
EAGE, along with the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB) and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), have collaborated to host the event in previous years, as they acknowledge its importance to forthcoming generations. This partnership has been renewed for this year’s YP Summit as the three societies continue to work together supporting a collaborative YP network.
The meeting tries to address all the challenges that YPs might encounter in their professional careers, from early stages to switching between industries. It is open to all professionals in the energy, technology, and business sector.
The YP Summit committee itself is a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team. We are dedicated to bringing professionals together, to meet, and focus on what are our biggest obstacles and how we can overcome them. Our goal is to help recent graduates and YPs to smoothly transition into their next interview, their next position, or their next job. Our YP summits have been attended by YPs from around the world including Brazil, Germany, Iran, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Ukraine, USA, and Venezuela. We have received positive comments from prominent geoscientists and engineers in the energy industry and in academia, which encourages us to continue this legacy.
Visit yp-summit.org to know more about the programme. We are looking forward to seeing you online in November!
