(Image caption: Brazil Section YP Bruno William hosting an ALP visit at Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.)
Each year the SPE Young Member Engagement Committee presents the ALP Outstanding Achievement Award to the SPE section that hosts the most number of Ambassador Lecturer Program (ALP) visits. Continuing their success from last year, the Brazil section won the award for this year also, holding the lectures for a deeper reason than the recognition.
In the changing environment of oil and gas there are a lot of questions from students about their career prospects. Answers to their concerns cannot easily be found in a textbook or even from the most experienced academic. However help can be found from those going through these challenges already.
The Brazil Section young professionals (YPs) have a long tradition of interacting with students and are impressed with the increasing level of technical expertise that students show. However in the last few years they observed that many of these students were opting to study more diverse subjects. Worried by the fact that some brilliant minds could be giving up the oil and gas industry, the Brazil YP Committee, with support from the section’s board, was able to focus on motivating these students and introducing them to the industry firsthand. Since 2015, they focused on Ambassador Lecturer visits as one of their strategic missions to provide guidance to students and help the industry obtain the best-qualified professionals in the future.
Brazil Section YPs Elysio Mendes Nogueira and Bruno William continue to be instrumental in keeping the section engaged with local SPE student chapters and schools through the ALP. The close links between section YPs and students from the region play a vital role in developing the section as well as the future of the industry in their area.
Unsurprisingly, during the lectures a lot of questions from students were regarding a professional’s perspective on the future of the industry and job markets. These questions show that students are focusing on how they can better prepare for the future so they are in an advantageous position when an opportunity appears. There is also drive among them to know how to stand out from the crowd and understand the distinctions between which skills are important for specific career pathways.
YPs who presented these lectures took this opportunity to build their own presentation and public speaking skills. “The common opinion among all YPs participating in the program is that the amount of learning obtained when they perform a lecture is enormous, and this is motivation for them to look for more opportunities to do lectures. And students appreciate the lectures. It is a win-win situation,” said Nogueira.
Ambassador Lecturer visits are being held by SPE sections all over the world, notably in sections like Benin City, Nigeria, where YPs held 15 lectures last year. Other sections such as Italy, Iraq, and India also host ALP lectures frequently.
Building a strong network between generations ensures the flow of talented engineers into the industry. Programs like ALP provide platforms for this to happen. Resources to help organize a lecture in your region are available on the ALP website and SPE can also support travel costs for the lecturers. After hosting an ALP lecture, make sure to get recognized for it by completing the Lecturer Feedback Survey.
Want to hold an ALP lecture in your section? These FAQs can help.