Alberta’s oil sands in Canada are the fourth-largest oil reserves in the world after Iran, Saudia Arabia, and Venezuela. These reserves are equivalent to around 165.4 billion barrels of oil. Canada is a big player in the global energy sector, and their reserves show how critical it is to their economy. It is predicted that in 2022 oil and gas extraction and infrastructure could account for nearly 10% of Canadian GDP. In terms of employment the energy sector employs 178,500 Canadians, a significant proportion of the population.
Alberta oil sands growth
The global demand for energy, in particular oil, shows no signs of slowing down and - despite a continued focus on renewable energy sources - Canada’s Alberta oil sands achieved a record year growth-wise in 2021 for crude oil production.
With oil and gas expected to be a key transitional energy source that plays a part in net carbon zero targets, Canadian oil sands producers forecast that we could be on track for another record-breaking year in terms of oil production and output.
Oil and gas jobs in Canada
Influential voices in the Canadian energy sector are saying that there is currently not enough skilled labour to meet the demand for oil and gas jobs in Alberta which could hinder real growth.
One of these voices is the CEO of the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors, Mark Scholz. He states that "if Canada is not able to recruit and be able to build the expertise needed to grow our industry, we're not going to be able to, not only supply our domestic market with responsible energy products, but we're also not going to be able to support the growing energy demands and energy security issues that many of our key allies are looking for."
Scholz believes the oil and gas job market in Alberta took a steep downturn during the 2014 recession when the price of oil plummeted, further supressed by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. With oil prices now being close to pre-pandemic levels, producers are expecting their productivity to face a similar increase with Alberta in particular expected to be heading for a ‘boom’.
With increased demand and a boom in Canadian production, how are companies making oil field jobs more attractive? Scholz has heard that along with other sectors, people working within the energy sector want greater flexibility in their working life.
His statement shows the extent of socioeconomic change in recent years: "We always found that the workforce was very interested in putting as many hours in as they could. Not so much today — we're seeing that the demographics are changing and there is an element of work-life balance that is very important to this new generation that's coming up and companies are responding to that."
One such company is Chissell, who are a family-led company who cannot afford large bonuses some larger corporations offer but are instead offering flexible hours for their oil and gas jobs in Alberta.
Helping you find the right role for you
At Petroplan, we champion talent and specialise in recruiting permanent personnel and contractors for businesses across the energy and infrastructure sectors, including oil and gas, renewables, technology, mining, power, and nuclear.
As a talent solutions agency, we have excellent knowledge of recruitment, and a team of experienced consultants who can provide the best advice and results.
To find out how we can support you in the rapidly evolving climate, please contact our team today.
You can also use your social account to sign in. First you need to:
To connect your social account you must Acknowledge the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy