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Veterans in Industry

As a vital economic engine that includes a wide range of jobs calling for a variety of skill sets, the oil and natural gas industry can be a natural fit for veterans looking to pursue meaningful civilian careers by applying the skills developed during military service. The industry values the knowledge, skill and experience that veterans bring to their careers, and consistently employs a high proportion of veterans. With nearly 185,000 veterans employed in 2014, the oil and natural gas industry offers career opportunities for veterans in all sectors of the industry and across all regions of the country. Read about the experience of some of these veterans and how they found a meaningful career in the oil and natural gas industry here.

Veterans’ training, education and work experience align well with the technical skill requirements in many sectors of the industry. The operating environment of the oil and gas industry also requires other, nontechnical skills that veterans acquire in the course of their military service. Some specific aspects of these two types of skills that are valued by the industry are summarized below.

Technical Skills

Veterans seeking to translate their military skills and experience to pursue careers in the oil and natural gas industry may need to take some additional training or earn specific credentials that are recognized in different sectors of the industry. However, veterans also need to be aware that the technical skills they gained through the training and work experience acquired during military service provide an excellent starting point for many industry careers. Technical skills valued by the industry include:

  • High quality military job training that provides foundational career skills,
  • Continuous skill development through on-the-job mentoring and ongoing technical training, and
  • Training and work experience operating state of the art technology and equipment.

Non-technical Skills

Perhaps more than many other industries, the oil and natural gas industry offers career opportunities that call for workers who can adapt quickly to change, operate safely under diverse conditions and contribute to fast-paced team efforts. Military service prepares veterans to meet these requirements.

  • Veterans have learned to stay focused on objectives while adapting to the changes in missions, requirements, and operating locations that are required in the course of military service.
  • Veterans have experience operating in volatile environments in which safety is paramount.
  • Veterans have the capacity to perform effectively when required to work independently, along with the capacity to contribute their efforts to the effective performance of diverse teams.
  • Veterans have experience operating under physically demanding and rigorous conditions.
  • Veterans have had opportunities to develop key interpersonal skills, including communication, leadership and inclusion of personnel from diverse backgrounds.
  • Veterans have a mature work ethic based on core values such as personal integrity, respect for authority, loyalty to the organization and the mission, and commitment to excellence.

Find Out More

There are numerous resources that enable veterans to search for career opportunities in the oil and natural gas industry. Interested veterans can access some of those resources on the employment resources page.