SPE Java Section organized a Young Professionals (YPs) Workshop at the Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition (APOGCE)/ Asia Pacific Health, Safety, Security, and Environment Conference and Exhibition (APHSSEC) in August last year.
The 2-day workshop was divided into two sessions. The first session focused on the role of YPs and updates about local YP activities. Leadoff speaker Eko Sisyanto Putro, general manager, Deepwater Development, Chevron Indonesia, addressed three key skills required by YPs for success: understanding business requirements, sharpening technical capabilities, and improving soft skills. Nitipong Yimyam, SPE Thailand Section, showcased the different activities being carried out by his section. Melissa Schultea, young member programs manager, SPE, also made a presentation about the SPE Global YP Program, in which she shared information about how to set up a local YP committee and explained the importance of the SPE certification program for YPs.
The second day focused on synchronizing YP activities within Asia Pacific region. Dato Wee Yiaw Hin, SPE director (Northern Asia Pacific Region), discussed the future challenges of oil exploration, CO2 sequestration, and demand vs. supply, emphasizing that YPs would need to respond to these with aggressive technological innovations. Deden Supriyatman, SPE Java Section, spoke about the need for top-notch to work in the industry. He touched on the importance of mentoring younger employees for technical growth, and the key attitudes that a YP should posses: boldness, mutual support, good listening skills, and cross-functional capability. Rieski Anna Dewi, Facilities Surveillance engineer, ExxonMobil, Indonesia, the final speaker, stressed the need for proper training and development programs.
Leo Roodhart, 2009 SPE president, gave the keynote speech, emphasizing how SPE can help YPs develop their knowledge and skills and encouraged them to get involved with SPE both locally and internationally.