How can the mining, oil, and gas industries appeal to younger workers?

The stigma surrounding traditional industries threatens the ability of those sectors to recruit and retain workers – especially those that fall in the Gen Z population.

HR Leader recently spoke to Lauren Wooldridge, national human resources manager at Powertech, about how the mining, oil and gas industries can break down the stigma that surrounds them – limiting their ability to recruit new workers.

“Organisations that integrate themselves into the community through genuine respect for the land and broader community impact set the gold standard for the industry. Through rectification action, family-friendly rosters and encouragement of living in or near site are all fantastic ways to benefit all involved in large scale projects,” Wooldridge said.

“All of this feeds into a narrative that organisations can be proud of, one that benefits its people and the communities that they operate within.”

Wooldridge spoke to the importance of “walking the walk” in relation to climate change issues, while addressing accusations of “greenwashing” that often latch themselves onto ESG policies that these industries implement.

“Younger jobseekers want to be part of a positive change and will truly champion organisations that they believe walk this walk. Increasingly so, they are discerning of those who they deem to be simply ‘ticking a box’ or inflating claims, making it more important than ever to be honest with the messaging coming out of the business,” Wooldridge said.

“Like all of us, Gen Z is only able to make informed decisions based on the information they have at hand. Walking the walk, communicating the support given to communities, and identifying ways to co-create change is the way forward, so long that it is done genuinely. Involving Gen Z in these discussions is the way to progress towards building a more trusting relationship.”

In terms of the biggest issues that face these industries, Wooldridge noted that recruitment tops the list.

“Our biggest challenge has been finding enough skilled staff to fill our roles, and to fill the funnel to allow for growth. We implement apprenticeship and graduate programs to assist with this, but businesses across industries are noticing large amounts of movement,” Wooldridge said.

“Our industry offers clear career progression, financial benefits and the opportunity to drive real change to those staying within a company. The increasing willingness to change companies combined with the highly competitive market driving up wages has made it challenging to develop staff and have them stay long enough to gather the experience we value.”