Geothermal Facts and Stats #10
Geothermal Jobs. Our industry is unique. On one hand, it’s small and considered a niche inside the world of renewable energy. However, it’s also a mature, global industry with career opportunities from geochemistry to drilling, and O&M for Power Plants to 3D Reservoir Modelling and more. The challenge has been that there always seems to be a limited supply of career opportunities for new graduates or talented personnel looking to move up in a company. We see it everywhere. There is a disproportionate amount of senior-level older men working into their 70’s. Unfortunately, many of these widely-respected patriarchs of our industry are sticking around because 1) they feel there isn’t someone else that could do the job, 2) the gap between a younger generation and themselves would not provide the same quality of services as they do 3) they have a unique (perhaps old-school-way) of doing business.
At a recent industry event, I was speaking with a well-known geologist who was consulting here and there but largely retired. That geologist actually told me, “it’s a shame they were out of work and that because the ‘domestic’ industry was so slow, so many of the experienced, older leaders of our industry didn’t have a lot of work…If ‘we’ get pushed out – there is no one qualified to do the work that we do”… I sat there with a polite smile on my face…(as I fall in the 30 – 40 year range) and recalled quite the opposite conversation I had with several other colleagues at the same event (also in their 30’s and 40’s) about how the patriarchs of our industry are hanging around so long – the growing number of highly skilled proteges are not getting the opportunities to hone their skills on-the-job.
There seems to be a disconnect between the two sides of our talented demographic of industry brothers and sisters. There is also gender in-equality – which, with the help of Women in Geothermal around the world – should be mitigated very soon. Many of us are too committed and passionate to wait for this to correct itself, which is why I’m encouraged about the future of geothermal and for the future leaders of our industry.
I preface the 10th Geothermal Fact and Stat with this because it’s a reality our industry faces. That being said, when comparing Geothermal to Solar, Wind or other renewables, Geothermal leads the way in job numbers. See for yourself:
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Source: GRC via Kate Young’s presentation at the #GRCAM2018 Ambassador Program.
Photo Credit: Thermochem Inc.
