Mainstreaming Women in the oil and gas industry for industrialization

“What’s a pretty lady like you doing in a complex and dangerous business like that of the oil, gas and energy sector?”

From my engagement in the oil and gas sector, that’s the question the few female professionals involved in the industry are asked all the time.

We are all aware that the global oil and gas industry remains one of the least gender-diverse sectors today. And East Africa is not left out.

The good news is that maximizing the productivity of females in the industry and moving them from just users and followers to ex-pat experts (the focal point of independent professionals in the industry) will produce local women leaders who will be able to lead the Industrialization phase execution accordingly.

So, let’s ask ourselves, “How do we increase women’s participation in the oil and gas industry and propel them to become world-class professionals and business leaders?”

How do we make female professionals become senior executive managers who will sit and contribute in executive boardroom meetings of oil and gas companies, and who will stimulate economic and industry development?

Basically, how do we be at the forefront in implementing projects and programs that bring women into the mainstream oil and gas industry, primarily in Tanzania and generally East Africa?

It will interest you to know that women have been very active in the agriculture sector and we can see the contribution of agriculture to the country’s GDP. Why can’t we replicate that in the oil and gas sector which is currently dominated by men?

                 Challenges

The recent study conducted by Global Energy Talent Index Report concluded that there is a shortage of women in the oil and gas industry. The study found that Women occupy about 50 percent of non-technical positions at entry-level, compared to only 15 percent of technical and field role positions. Gender diversity decreases with seniority with only a tiny proportion of women in executive positions

Several factors are responsible for limiting the role and number of women in the oil and gas industry. The first challenge is a popular misconception is that one need to study engineering to work in Oil and Gas but there is someone who runs the Administration, Community engagement, finance and IT. It is a basket where everything must be present for the smooth running of the organization. 

There is also a biological challenge. The average woman might go on maternity leave two or three times in her working career and could miss out on some positions, if not promotions.

The other challenge is the skills shortage. You aren’t able to hire skills quickly enough or in sufficient volume to deliver the needed productivity, performance and innovation?

  A Strategic Roadmap To Transforming Local Female Professionals From Just Users To World Class Professionals and Industry Leaders

With recent low oil price and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a proper time to have revolutionary in training and development of females professionals and move them from just being dependent on men’s help to become an independent focal point and top performers. 

The training and development programs can be conducted online through webinars or videoconference that allows female professionals to participate from their homes or offices.

Furthermore, I am also, calling on women who have achieved success in the oil and gas industry to mentor young ladies right from the university. And more importantly, to encourage female professionals to acquire the requisite skills for technical positions as well as leadership positions.

One point we have to make is to explain to the aspiring female professionals who are interested in having a long-lasting career in the industry is that, even if the oil and gas industry is a highly specialized sector, nobody is expected to break his or her back lifting hundred (maybe thousands) of pounds of materials as it was in the past. 

Due to the technological advancement in the industry, most jobs have been replaced by electronic systems that require a brain, not muscle.