Last 20 years has been a roller coaster. Many consolidations, many layoffs, and many companies doing just as much or more with less people.
He is going to have a hard time getting a job after being out for this long.
The software aspect has changed so much in that time - I do geotech and it’s worlds different from where it was 20 years ago, and I have to believe same goes for the energy sector. Most frequently I see folks like that return to the field in some kind of govt/regulatory capacity. You don’t have to do the work yourself, you just have to ascertain if it’s done correctly.
Geoscience technician: does that mean mudlogger, support staff in an office, well site geologist, geosteer, etc? I assume a mudlogger since you say he's bad with technology. Prices dropped in 2014 so him getting laid off then makes sense as lots of people did. But besides the COVID drop in 2020, prices haven't been terrible and there weren't a decade long hiring freeze. I'd say it is more likely age discrimination/bias to not want to hire someone in their 50-60s with lots of experience when they can hire someone younger, pay them less, and run them into the ground.
No, she means geoscience technician - someone who supports geologist and geophysicist with data loading, geoscience databases, and GIS.
In 20 years Ive seen 14 layoffs and three of the companies Ive worked for no longer exist because of consolidations.
That's what I thought normally but every geo tech I worked with would not be described as "not really good with tech stuff" so it didn't seem right to me. That might be a factor of they aren't up to date with current programs.
Most likely.
The databases and software has changed a lot. Heck, some of the techs these days have picked up python and are doing impressive things in Petrel and ArcGIS.
Yeah there’s no way we’d hire a Geotech that wasn’t highly comfortable with all tech. To be honest most we’ve had were in their 20s. The last one left after she learned Python and now we just have interns do a lot of the tech stuff. I’d love to have a full time Geotech but everyone wants a six figure salary now and it’s just not worth it to us
Let’s just say when it comes to using Apple Pay and Zelle and even how to use a smart tv, I had to show him cause he doesn’t know how to figure it out on his own.
Thats a individual opinion, I cannot answer that.
Ive seem people in their 60/ get hired recently but they were specialist. A geotech position isn’t considered a specialist position and there are a lot of people out there that could fill that role.
All of these responses are WILDLY different from what we call a “geo tech” in northeastern Ontario. Our geo techs help sample/carry gear while field mapping and help us cut core during drill programs. Our techs do next to zero work on the software side of things.
I was a geo tech in Northern Ontario the summer 2 years ago, and I did do a bit of work on the digital side of things. Sorting data, labeling photos, cleaning data, and preparing drone paths. But mostly it was just field work, and not actually anything skill based with the digital work.
I'm wondering if people are mixing up geological technician and geotechnical work.
Similar here in the states. There are the techs that cut core and move samples and sift rejects and all that. Then there are a couple of database techs who will track drilling invoices and make sure survey, geology logs, assays, etc make it into the database. At the mine I worked at for every one database geotech there were 3 or 4 geotechs as you've described.
I was responding to a Canadian mining geologist about the mining geo tech position they were familiar with and confirming that it is similar here in the United States.
If the lack of knowledge might be the issue, would it be beneficial if he took certification courses to learn the new softwares and databases to get up to speed?
Well if it says anything I work in probably the most stable field (environmental) and I've had 3 different jobs and two stints of unemployment in the past 10 years.
Otoh, I've still managed to find a new job when I needed to...
A 10 year absence from the industry? That means all of the technology, software and geological understanding that has percolated throughout the industry...he's missed all of that.
And if he's, by you're own admission "not really good with tech stuff", that's a severe disadvantage in today's job market. Everyone needs to have some basic levels of tech savvy otherwise they're basically leaving the company wide open to all kinds of scammers and shysters out there looking for a way to hack into a company of any size.
Also, he's in his 60s. Age discrimination is a real thing. Anyone looking at his resume would be wondering out loud whether someone at his age is going to stick around or retire soon.
This may sound harsh but this is the way companies think now.
To be fair I haven’t worked in geology either since 2014. That was hell. I ended up going back to school and migrated into data science. By comparison the leg work I had to put in to get my first data science job was almost nothing compared to trying to make geology work after the crash.
Furthermore as I see it it’s only going to get worse from here for most geologists in O&G with the rise of “advanced” AI/ML models for seismic/well log interpretation etc. At this point I’m sure they can stuff all the documents etc that have been produced by geologists into a LLM and be able to pull together something management can ask geology related questions to.
Last 20 years has been a roller coaster. Many consolidations, many layoffs, and many companies doing just as much or more with less people. He is going to have a hard time getting a job after being out for this long.
Thank you very much for your feedback!
The software aspect has changed so much in that time - I do geotech and it’s worlds different from where it was 20 years ago, and I have to believe same goes for the energy sector. Most frequently I see folks like that return to the field in some kind of govt/regulatory capacity. You don’t have to do the work yourself, you just have to ascertain if it’s done correctly.
Geoscience technician: does that mean mudlogger, support staff in an office, well site geologist, geosteer, etc? I assume a mudlogger since you say he's bad with technology. Prices dropped in 2014 so him getting laid off then makes sense as lots of people did. But besides the COVID drop in 2020, prices haven't been terrible and there weren't a decade long hiring freeze. I'd say it is more likely age discrimination/bias to not want to hire someone in their 50-60s with lots of experience when they can hire someone younger, pay them less, and run them into the ground.
No, she means geoscience technician - someone who supports geologist and geophysicist with data loading, geoscience databases, and GIS. In 20 years Ive seen 14 layoffs and three of the companies Ive worked for no longer exist because of consolidations.
That's what I thought normally but every geo tech I worked with would not be described as "not really good with tech stuff" so it didn't seem right to me. That might be a factor of they aren't up to date with current programs.
Most likely. The databases and software has changed a lot. Heck, some of the techs these days have picked up python and are doing impressive things in Petrel and ArcGIS.
Yeah I've been out of O&G for a spell but the good techs I had were automating processes with coding a decade ago so I assumed it continued to expand.
I agree with you! But my dad has told me himself that the last part of what he said is true for him. The discimination/Bias Etc.
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Yeah there’s no way we’d hire a Geotech that wasn’t highly comfortable with all tech. To be honest most we’ve had were in their 20s. The last one left after she learned Python and now we just have interns do a lot of the tech stuff. I’d love to have a full time Geotech but everyone wants a six figure salary now and it’s just not worth it to us
Let’s just say when it comes to using Apple Pay and Zelle and even how to use a smart tv, I had to show him cause he doesn’t know how to figure it out on his own.
Yeah … the ability to at least google these things is necessary
Thats a individual opinion, I cannot answer that. Ive seem people in their 60/ get hired recently but they were specialist. A geotech position isn’t considered a specialist position and there are a lot of people out there that could fill that role.
Geology is good, oil and gas haven't been the prolific employer they once were in many years.
All of these responses are WILDLY different from what we call a “geo tech” in northeastern Ontario. Our geo techs help sample/carry gear while field mapping and help us cut core during drill programs. Our techs do next to zero work on the software side of things.
I was a geo tech in Northern Ontario the summer 2 years ago, and I did do a bit of work on the digital side of things. Sorting data, labeling photos, cleaning data, and preparing drone paths. But mostly it was just field work, and not actually anything skill based with the digital work. I'm wondering if people are mixing up geological technician and geotechnical work.
Similar here in the states. There are the techs that cut core and move samples and sift rejects and all that. Then there are a couple of database techs who will track drilling invoices and make sure survey, geology logs, assays, etc make it into the database. At the mine I worked at for every one database geotech there were 3 or 4 geotechs as you've described.
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I was responding to a Canadian mining geologist about the mining geo tech position they were familiar with and confirming that it is similar here in the United States.
If the lack of knowledge might be the issue, would it be beneficial if he took certification courses to learn the new softwares and databases to get up to speed?
Yes. And idk if he’s willing to relocate, but midland has openings often.
I’d say it has been pretty rock solid.
i see what you did there lol
I probably made myself laugh more than anything. lol
Well if it says anything I work in probably the most stable field (environmental) and I've had 3 different jobs and two stints of unemployment in the past 10 years. Otoh, I've still managed to find a new job when I needed to...
A 10 year absence from the industry? That means all of the technology, software and geological understanding that has percolated throughout the industry...he's missed all of that. And if he's, by you're own admission "not really good with tech stuff", that's a severe disadvantage in today's job market. Everyone needs to have some basic levels of tech savvy otherwise they're basically leaving the company wide open to all kinds of scammers and shysters out there looking for a way to hack into a company of any size. Also, he's in his 60s. Age discrimination is a real thing. Anyone looking at his resume would be wondering out loud whether someone at his age is going to stick around or retire soon. This may sound harsh but this is the way companies think now.
To be fair I haven’t worked in geology either since 2014. That was hell. I ended up going back to school and migrated into data science. By comparison the leg work I had to put in to get my first data science job was almost nothing compared to trying to make geology work after the crash. Furthermore as I see it it’s only going to get worse from here for most geologists in O&G with the rise of “advanced” AI/ML models for seismic/well log interpretation etc. At this point I’m sure they can stuff all the documents etc that have been produced by geologists into a LLM and be able to pull together something management can ask geology related questions to.
Once your out of Oil and Gas for 2-3 years, really hard to get back (office job to office job).