{"id":5378,"date":"2021-01-11T19:54:47","date_gmt":"2021-01-12T00:54:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studentenergy.org\/?p=5378"},"modified":"2025-08-14T08:23:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T15:23:07","slug":"youth-careers-energy-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studentenergy.org\/youth-careers-energy-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Youth pursuing careers in oil and gas: A deeper dive"},"content":{"rendered":"

Young people transitioning out of the fossil fuel industry and into clean energy and climate action-related careers deserve empathy, mentorship, professional support, and accessible skills-development opportunities now more than ever. But this latest New York Times article, ‘<\/a><\/em><\/span>A Slap in the Face\u2019: The Pandemic Disrupts Young Oil Careers’\u00a0<\/em> is missing the mark. Let\u2019s unpack:<\/span><\/p>\n

The unaddressed education gap<\/b><\/h3>\n

<\/b>What is the role of post-secondary educators in being honest about the future of the oil and gas industry and about the magnitude of the climate crisis? From reading this article, it\u2019s clear that some university departments are not doing a good job of teaching young people the systems thinking skills they need to be part of the energy system of the future.<\/span> Scientists, academics, activists (especially young people), and policy experts have been ringing the alarm about climate change and the unsustainability of the current fossil fuel-dependent energy system for over two decades at the least. As educators, it is imperative that evidence-based climate science and the level of urgency required for action is communicated to students seeking careers in the energy sector to foster critical thinking and decision-making for future career choices.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Student Energy, we work with young people interested in or already working in all parts of the energy sector, we take young people\u2019s futures seriously – and this includes having a secure, thriving career that provides financial stability while meaningfully addressing climate change and creating a sustainable energy system for all. We also recognize that the energy sector\u2019s harms on Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities around the world, and on nature, cannot be ignored, and efforts to address, transform, and repair these harms are as much part of the clean energy transition as efforts to create secure employment opportunities. <\/span><\/p>\n

Our approach to these big challenges includes providing free, globally accessible <\/span>energy education resources<\/span><\/a>, free <\/span>skill developmen<\/span><\/a>t and <\/span>capacity building<\/span><\/a> programs, and fostering a <\/span>global community of youth<\/span><\/a> who are all committed to advocating for a sustainable energy transition in every sector.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Where are the young oil and gas workers who are not necessarily \u201cseeking elite positions\u201d in the industry? <\/b><\/h3>\n

We need to consider and prioritize support for <\/span>current <\/span><\/i>workers to transition out of the oil and gas industry, and young people in regions where there is a lack of opportunity for other careers. Young people are facing employment challenges in all sectors right now, so if we highlight youth in oil and gas, we need a deeper dive into why young people choose these careers beyond those seeking a disproportionately high salary:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n