The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and Petroleum Equipment and Services (PESA) are not letting unprecedented market conditions and pandemic-related physical office restrictions prevent them from offering their annual professional development and job shadowing program for Texas high school and college students.
Instead, the IPAA/PESA Energy Education Center Extern Program is using a virtual format to give future STEM and business students from Greater Houston-area institutions the chance to take their first steps toward energy industry careers. Following a competitive selection process, more than 40 Houston-area high school juniors and seniors and college freshmen on Tuesday began their virtual externships with various Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth exploration, production and service companies.
“The IPAA/PESA Extern Program, our capstone program, provides invaluable professional development training and insight into the energy industry and we are proud to welcome this year’s outstanding extern cohort,” IPAA/PESA Energy Education Center Senior Vice President Anne Ford commented in a written statement emailed to Rigzone.
According to IPAA, the summer program content starts with four days of virtual training focused on improving students’ “soft skills” – communication, critical thinking, conflict resolution and time management – before they spend time with their assigned company. Program sponsors and partners include Core Lab, Dale Carnegie, Energy Training Resources, Halliburton, Occidental Petroleum, Oceaneering, Shell and Weir Oil and Gas.
One of the extern candidates is Hy Thatch, a student at Houston’s Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy who is passionate about mathematics and philosophy.
“With the amazing opportunity to participate in the IPAA/PES extern program, I am looking forward to building new connections, creating long-lasting friendships and most importantly learning about the ethics, the motivation and the dream for engineers in the oil and natural gas industry,” she commented.
Another extern candidate is aspiring petroleum engineer Jonathan Deflores, a junior at Houston’s Milby High School.
“I hope to learn the valuable skills that will help benefit me in whatever future path lies ahead,” he stated.
IPAA noted the externship program has hosted 752 students at 36 oil and gas firms over the past 11 years.
To contact the author, email mveazey@rigzone.com.
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