Argentina oil jobs

While rising labor demand in Neuquen in all areas, many job seekers dream of working in the oil sector. But what professionals now seeking companies?

Neuquen is not only a province rich in natural resources and per capita income among the best in the country. It is also a promise. In recent years the possibility of exploiting the Vaca Muerta shale formation which can transform the country's economy added new impetus to the overall experience in the oil sector in Argentina.

The abundance of unconventional resources and state decision to become self-sufficient in this area generates expectations of development and long-term employment. We speak of hydrocarbons, oil, light industry, but the entire neuquino workplace in general, given that this is an activity that includes a huge value chain.

"As part of the current energy policy, the province expects to receive investment in the oil sector for almost US $ 5,000 million, of which approximately US $ 2,000 million related to YPF, another $ S 1,000 million agreement signed between the company and Chevron, and other US $ 2,000 million is what we promised the rest of the oil operators, "says Jorge Contenti, associate director of Oxford Partners. This means that, although the main operations requiring the Vaca Muerta project yet to be launched pending agreement between the oil provinces, Nation and YPF through the hydrocarbons law, labor demand in the area already it has been fired. "Many companies consider strategic be present from minute zero," says the consultant.

"The 33% of people working in the provincial private sector, about 33,500, are recorded in two sectors: oil and gas, and wholesale and retail trade. Almost 20%, about 19,500 workers, it does in manufacturing and construction, "says Contenti based on data from the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security. It also indicates that 20% of the increase in total jobs in the province between the second quarter of 2010 and the third quarter of 2013 was generated in the oil sector and 14.1% in wholesale and retail trade. "One in three jobs registered in the private sector were created in the two sectors. Manufacturing explains only 3.5% of the increase, "says the consultant.

Last July data met the provincial leadership of Statistics and Census of Neuquen that said in the past year labor demand in the oil, energy and construction sectors grew 355% (measured in number of published notices).

The projections are positive. According to the latest survey Net Employment Outlook (ENE) by consultancy Manpower in the fourth quarter of the year in our country the NEA is 3% from the previous quarter but in Patagonia reaches 7%. And it is second among the regions of Argentina, behind the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA), with 9%. In measuring sector, the mining and extraction item reveals ENE 9%, behind transportation and utilities, with 15%.

"Unlike what happens in other areas of the country, Bahia Blanca southward, not reduce jobs," says Rodolfo Canossini, manager of the Southern Region of Randstad Argentina (Neuquen and Chubut Black River), consultant Temporary employment and outsourcing services.

Despite the labor turmoil that cause Vaca Muerta whose "hot zone" is located today to four kilometers from the village of Anelo and 100 kilometers from the provincial-capital industry is taking people for both the exploitation of conventional and unconventional, and not only for the province. "For oil exploration and development have a specific area for shale, but this does not mean that we only people in Neuquen," says Claudia De Conti, Tecpetrol Recruitment manager. In July, in Argentina the company's exploration and production of oil and gas had 449 employees in total, and by year-end planned to take 50 people more between reservoir engineers, drilling, production, exploration and planning professionals, supply and administration.

Tecpetrol also incorporates two types interns who work part-time in Buenos Aires and are the hotbed of professionals Techint Group. This is the summer program, which runs from January to March, and an annual plan. Youth generally seek careers in engineering, systems and administration.

Specifically in Vaca Muerta, Tecpetrol are looking six positions in the coming months, which are -of production facilities- engineers, drilling and specifically MPD / UBD (underbalanced drilling).

According to De Conti, profiles hardest to find are geophysical and oil drilling specialists. "When people positions in deposits with certain level of experience, sometimes not want to be in those places is required," he explains. To resolve this difficulty oil producing companies and recruitment consultancies recruit professionals across the country. "A mechanical, electrical or chemical engineer to Neuquen also be looking at the Cordoba, Tucuman, Chaco and Buenos Aires. Everywhere. Multinationals also analyzed fill jobs with foreigners, "says Canossini.

For Eugenia Huerta, Managing talent manager of Pan American Energy, is finding geologists, geophysicists and reservoir engineers more arduous job. "Few universities dictate these carreas" he explains. Since 2013, the company added 700 people and if we consider only this year were 300, 70% of which were for areas of operations and 30% for staff. Today there are 150 open positions for drilling jobs, development of reserves and operations, especially for Chubut (Golfo San Jorge), Buenos Aires and Neuquen. There are also searches in the areas of staff and logistics jobs.

To train professionals from young, Pan American Energy has a program for young professionals, called Petrotec, which in each issue admitted about 20 graduates of geophysical mechanical engineering, electronics, electrical engineering, oil, certain industrial geologists. For 10 months rotate through different geographical locations where oil company has presence and work with a supervisor. They also receive training from mentors and classroom.

To the extent that grow the strategic areas of production companies so they do those of staff. "There is a growing demand of perational support for sectors jobs such as Human Resources (HR), accounting and financial, shopping and health and safety, among others. Today the oil industry not only requires specialized collaborators in their specific area of business, but also everything related to personnel management, financial management and quality development work and the workplace, in order to attract and retain the profiles indicated "says Hernan Sanchez, regional commercial manager HR consultancy Manpower.

In the case of Pan American Energy, the Young Professionals Programme is twofold. Besides Petrotech has Petrostaff, which seeks to recruit people for the financial, supply chain and trade jobs, among others.

Argentina oil talent recruitment channels

When a position opens, production companies turn in the first instance to its own staff. Therefore, there is always internal promotions and rotations. In the event that does not have the profile that looks out to the market on their own or the hand of a consultant.

On the other hand, there are increasingly more spontaneous presentations. Through the websites of companies offering all kinds come: from professionals to people who never worked on it wit no experience. De Conti says these applications only 10% have the features you are looking Tecpetrol. Other recruitment channels, such as publications of notices Linkedin, yield more accurate results.

The selection process in the sector tends to be deep and involve several interviews with consultants, HR line, psychometric tests and assesments center. "We identify the critical technical skills and knowledge for each profile and position. In the interviews we are demanding in this regard. Interpersonal skills like teamwork, commitment to the task, ability and potential are also needed, "explains Huergo.

Knowing English is a welcome plus for the oil sector jobs, especially for junior positions also called entry-level positions (Roustabouts, Galleyhands, Roughnecks). In the case of senior if they meet the experience looking English can take a backseat. Anyway, De Conti says is now wonder that experts in exploration and development not speak English because they are constantly exposed to outside information. In more operational areas such as production, maintenance and drilling the level of training in English is usually shorter.

Postgraduate always add up. Pan American Energy and other companies, by IAPG signed an agreement to issue the graduate specialization in production of oil and gas from the Technological Institute of Buenos Aires (ITBA) to dictate in Comodoro Rivadavia, as previously only existed in Buenos Aires and Neuquen.

While it is often alert the shortage of graduates in careers in the industry, De Conti notes that there are professionals trained in dealing with unconventional. "YPF is working on Dead Cow a while and in our case, though until a year ago did not do anything in the field, the person working in the area was in a similar geological formation. Thus, he did not start from scratch. Oil sector requires that everyone is always trained on the new that is coming out, "he says.

While they are taking all types of workers, hiring of Tecpetrol and oil companies like Pan American Energy professionals often point to levels of supervision. Technicians are sought by contractors.

These are companies that know different sizes and operating in the area where the reservoir or training is. "The number of direct employees of contractors who need to run is in the order of one to five, or even one to seven, with respect to its own employees. And there are also indirect, that deal with more operational activities and consulting basis, "specifies De Conti.

Ensign is the case of Argentina, drilling contractor, seeking electrical engineers with experience in drilling and large motors and team leaders, among others. The recruitment of engineers in oil is done by headhunting. The search is not simple; it may take up to three months to find the right person for engineering job. "There is great demand. We look outside the industry because if we do not steal each other. I'm looking at mining, there is low activity, "says Ricardo Lopez reveals Olaciregui, general manager of the company. In addition, to resort to recruiting job boards guilds oil or managers in Neuquen.

As for the leaders, they are required experience. "Some began as laborers and were doing at work. There are few who are engineers, "explains Lopez Olaciregui.

Canossini agrees to emphasize the importance of career and training for these positions, adding that the regional headquarters of the Union of Oil basic training for positions of assistant general tasks, among others are performed. Also looking drillers, head of teams and company man. "The task is very specific. High salaries are attractive to many job seekers, but to know the task you have to live with it. An inexperienced person runs the risk of an accident, "he explains.

At this level the most difficult to get profiles are drilling and workover, according Huergo. "Few people are focused on the training and there is brain drain to other countries," he says. Therefore, in Pan American Energy recently they created a companyman school attended by around 15 young graduates from technical schools or early years of a career in engineering. They are selected by the organization for training that will allow them to monitor drilling and service companies operating in deposits. It is a 12-month training in learning technical issues in the classroom and also rotate through the field with a mentor, a senior companyman.

To catch a flight to Neuquen is better out weeks in advance, new hotels are working at full, get a remis is not easy. Boiling oil impacting other activities and modifies the landscape. "This region is experiencing full employment with rising wages and prices. An inequality in pay with other activities is given. So much labor movement. People want to go to try other activities in the oil, "says Canossini. He says he sees people get permanently, especially workers in the north who know the petroleum industry in search of job to Anelo and its surroundings. In the Randstad branch is installed there are around 10 CV each day.

But he warns that it is not easy to adapt. Anelo area is two hours of Neuquen, which means that for some workers working time you should add transfers. "Not everyone can handle it. In addition, working in the field with weather conditions that can be arduous, it is not easy, "says the consultant.

In the capital city they have recently given openings of supermarkets and hypermarkets, which generated vacant positions as stockers, cashiers and heads of sector. It also gained momentum generated hospitality sector and the need to fill positions maid, maintenance, petty, waiters and receptionists. Jobs for personnel transport, laundry and construction of modules to accommodate people in the field also had a resurgence. Trade profiles are also required to work in banks, insurance companies and prepaid medicine companies. Real estate and corporate services in general also had its momentum. Especially in light of the oil promise.