How will the world meet the energy demand while reducing emissions? What technology and human capital policy in education are needed to make this energy transition a reality? What are the myths and hard truths about all forms of energy, our environment, and our economy?
The Voices of Energy sets out to explore these questions with the people who have the heart of making these changes a reality. We’ll go from conversation to application by focusing on action and strategies that will drive the world and our industry into a new era. In this episode, host Katie Mehnert, Founder and CEO of Ally Energy, is joined by Kimberly Border.
Welcome to ALLY Energy’s Voices of Energy podcast with host Katie Mehnert, where she has conversations with the professionals driving the energy industry. Discover the actionable strategies that will drive this industry into a new era. In today’s episode, guest Kimberly Border joins the discussion to share her passion for the upcoming generation of engineers, scientists, and talent coming into the workforce. She also scrubs the stigma attached to the oil and gas industry and the emerging realization that you can be an environmentalist and work in energy.
Kimberly shares about her favorite travel destinations before sharing her background and how she came to work at Ovintiv. She never outright wanted to work in HR or in the oil and gas industry. Just out of school, she went to work at a plant manufacturing injection molding plastics, then in the area of quality control before helping out someone in an HR role. Since then, she has worked with various producers and midstream companies in the oil and gas industry. Then, she reveals what led her to the space of diversity and inclusion. Contributing to another person’s growth, development, and realization of their potential is what gives them the biggest sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
Shifting gears, the conversation focuses on the talent within energy and the upcoming generation in the workforce. How can we cultivate an interest in energy with students and young professionals? Kimberly is seeing hurdles in recruiting young talent, many of whom feel unsure if the industry of oil and gas will still be around in 20 years' time. Additional competition has arisen as tech companies are now hiring engineers in areas they weren’t previously. Now, candidates know what they want, are not afraid to ask about them upfront, and are often not willing to compromise about these desires. To combat the uncertainty of the longevity of oil and gas, Kimberly has found that what works best is personalized engagement with students to educate them on what is really happening in the industry. Similarly, they aim to reconstruct the stereotype of oil and gas being a dirty job. We have to reach kids with the right messages to recruit new people to this industry which powers a large portion of our daily lives. The industry actually needs activists and environmentalists who can inspire change from the inside to address these challenges.
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Timestamps
0:50 Guest, Kimberly Border, introduced
3:51 Kimberly shares about herself and her background.
5:23 What drew Kimberly to the space of diversity and inclusion.
6:36 Looking at the upcoming generation in the workforce
10:45 The concerns of young professionals entering this industry
14:28 Reframing the perceptions of career paths.
19:42 Being an environmentalist while working in oil and gas.
22:36 Engaging others in this conversation.
Links:
Learn more about Kimberly Border and Ovintiv.
Connect with Katie Mehnert on LinkedIn and Twitter.