South Africa's oil and gas industry offers excellent career opportunities.
Great choice! South Africa has significant potential for unconventional gas discovery in the form of Coal Bed Methane and Shale Gas, for which it is ranked 8th and 12th in the world. And this can only mean one thing: Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!
To help you make your decision, here are things you want to know:
Obtain a qualification in engineering
Many professionals enter the oil and gas industry through entry-level or technical positions. Most but not all of these positions require that you obtain a university level qualification. Graduates with a degree in Petroleum, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical Engineering, or in Geology or Geophysics are high in demand. A Bachelor of Science degree will also catch the attention of recruiters.
Get a feel of the industry
Whether it’s a week’s work experience, a year-long internship or apprenticeship, getting a feel for what the industry is like will help you make an informed career decision. Most major oil companies, including the Sasol Limited, Shell, Caltex Oil, BP, Engen Petroleum and Total offer programmes to give people a chance to experience and get an understanding of the kind of work environment they can expect.
Keep an eye out for the latest vacancies in our graduate engineering section.
Know what skills are required
No matter what career path you choose to follow, your soft skills will be as important as your technical skills. With the ability to find and maintain a balance between your ability to learn, to collaborate and communicate, as well as your ability to apply your technical, analytical and computer skills, you’ll be well on the road to sustaining a successful career in oil and gas.
Ability to work anywhere
Your qualification coupled with your skills will open doors for you around the world. Not only will you have a number of locations to choose from, but you’ll be able to work in a number of areas, whether offshore or onshore. From aerospace to automotive, chemical, civil and electrical engineering, and manufacturing and telecoms, the oil and gas industry will be your oyster.
Advancements in technology also mean that demand for skilled professionals within the industry is also increasing. It has been predicted that by 2035, 1 million people will be needed to specialize in oil sands alone – that’s not taking into consideration the other areas of the industry.
Start searching for jobs on Careers24 by Region, City or Sector.
Earn more than the average salary
If your first preference to accepting a job offer is the pay, then you’ll have chosen the right career path in oil and gas.
Not only are professions in the oil and gas industry among the highest starting salaries of any sector, they also continue to stay lucrative as your career progresses. The average annual salaries for entry-level positions are run into the millions.
With the right experience and expertise, you can join the likes of Bob Dudley, CEO of BP South Africa, Datuk Nizam Salleh, Managing Director and CEO of Engen Petroleum and Ben van Beurden, CEO of Shell, who each earn fantastic annual salaries.
Add to that lucrative bonus schemes, bonuses, and a host of other financial incentives, and you can see how a job in oil and gas could really set you up for life.
Feel ready to kick-start your career in oil and gas? Browse our engineering jobs and find your perfect position today!
