1. GEES - Employability, Employer Engagement and Enterprise July 2008 Graduate Perspective: Petroleum Industry

2. 2 A little bit about myself.. Name: David Bailey Age: 26 2004: Graduated Edinburgh University (BSc Geology) 2004-2005: Worked for HBOS 2005-2006: Summer Student Technical Assistant for Cairn Energy 2006-2007: Graduated Aberdeen University (MSc Petroleum Geoscience) 2007- Present: Exploration Geologist at Cairn Energy

3. 3 Qualifications and Skills Required BSc (good pass) in a geoscience related subject = Technical Assistant. MSc is considered as minimum preferred qualification for most other geoscience roles. PhD is rumoured to be minimum qualification required for a geoscience role at some companies. Relevent Experience Recent extensive seismic workstation interpretive skills 2D & 3D. Experience in hydrocarbon exploration and development. Industry experience is highly thought of. 4 month placements as a summer student often available.

4. 4 Qualities Sought for an Exploration Geoscientist… Taken from my Exploration Geoscientist role profile: PRIMARY – planning & delivering results, innovation and problem solving. SECONDARY – self management, communicating & influencing, business conscience, leading and working in teams. TERTIARY – working with stakeholders, developing others.

5. 5 Hindsight… Would I have done anything Different As a Student? Decide on a career path earlier – tricky! Sought an industrial placement in my 3 rd year/after graduation in 4 th year. Attended a greater number of sedimentology lectures. If I had known then what I know now… Working for an exploration orientated oil company is a facinating career. It could also be considered to be science in its purest form. The generation of an idea and the testing of that idea (oil well). Being a professional geoscientist in the petroleum sector is the most rapid way of gaining a visa to work in the USA

6. 6 How can Industry Help? Industry tends to target the end of the production line e.g. MSc students/PhD students. Emphasis is not placed on encouraging recent graduates onto post-graduate petroleum-related courses. Industry should provide a clearer picture of the potential careers on offer and what they entail e.g. type of day-to-day work involved, expected salary, an indication of the job market, demographics of the industry… Overcome the perception that the oil industry is not a viable career option as oil is about to run out – somebody has to keep the game going! Visit universities and talk to undergraduates…

7. Thank you!