Whether you are a high school student who is thinking ahead about what to study in college, an established career person who wants to try out a new, rapidly-expanding industry, or just someone who’s seeking a career change, you should consider entry into the natural gas industry. In today’s world, there can be worries about being able to find a good paying, but also stable and satisfying job. The energy industry, particularly oil and natural gas, offer a variety of career choices to meet almost any interest. In addition to this, because of the growing demand for jobs in this field, people who are entering into it now are in the unique position of getting to watch their field innovate and grow every day. If you’re seeking a positive life change, read on to find out just what kind of opportunities and careers this field offers.
According to the American Petroleum Institute, the oil and natural gas industry supports “9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy“. Similarly, IHS Global recently reported “over 950,000 job opportunities could be created by 2020 and nearly 1.3 million job opportunities through 2030 across the country in the oil and natural gas and petrochemicals industry. In order to be competitive for all 1.3 million jobs, certain education and workforce training must occur. ”
In non-business talk, this means that if you’re entering school in the next few years, you will graduate right in the middle of an employment boom in the natural gas industry. It also means that people who are considering getting into the natural gas industry right now are ahead of the curve and have the perfect chance to jump on these natural gas job opportunities.
One of the great things about the natural gas industry is that there is a wide variety of positions to fit almost any interest. For those in college, you can match your personality to what you eventually study: Gamers can study computer science or software engineering and spend their days tinkering with and designing new hardware and equipment to be used in the field. Students who love math and science can explore how petroleum engineers spend their days designing large projects that they will eventually see built. Petroleum engineering frequently tops the list of best paid major in the long run. Not a bad perk! Majors such as geology, chemistry, math, and physics also provide clear entry into this industry. The chart below, provided by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, clearly outlines the monetary benefit of these majors.
Even if you’re not trained in the sciences, the natural gas field still has a place for you. Every business – no matter how large or small – needs people with a host of other skills. No industry can function without business analysts and the financially-minded. As the natural gas industry grows, so too is the need for people who can write very clearly on technical matters and people skilled in marketing and public relations. These will be the people who act as the voice of the natural gas field to the public which is just as important as all the other positions. If you desire to ditch the office job and work in the great outdoors, there are many positions in natural gas that can take you there such as grounds inspectors or even more hands-on jobs such as preparing or maintaining well sites.
In an USA Today article about the growth of energy jobs, it was reported that “jobs directly in the oil and gas extraction business pay an average of just under $150,000 a year… almost exactly three times the national average” and “since 2002, the exploration of natural gas deposits embedded in shale, followed by oil drilling that began in earnest late in the decade, has created more than 1 million jobs, says Moody’s Analytics economist Chris Lafakis. That’s out of 2.7 million the whole country created.”
From the Manhattan Institute Power & Growth Initiative Report
Research shows that the natural gas field is still quickly growing. Today, a cursory search for the term “natural gas” on Indeed.com, a job posting search engine, returned 8,181 unique job postings ranging from director of marketing to ecologist, to technicians and programmers with a minimum starting salary listed at $50,000. In short, if you are seeking a change, consider looking into the natural gas industry. With the wide range of positions available to the job security and pay, there is truly a fit for almost everyone.
If you are interested in finding out more about jobs in the field, feel free to comment, ask us here, or tweet us @CabotOG.
