API launches web tool to connect veterans with energy industry jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- US Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Member Joe Manchin (Democrat, West Virginia) joined the American Petroleum Institute (API) trade group this week to officially launch the Veterans Energy Pipeline—a new web-based tool that will help connect current members of the armed forces and veterans to civilian employment opportunities in the oil and natural gas industry. 

“Our goal is to build on the successes of America’s energy revolution and help those serving our country, as well as veterans, transition into well-paying careers in the oil and gas industry,” said API president and CEO Jack Gerard. “This unique forum will provide important information about the industry, the outlook for job opportunities and useful job-hunting tools and resources.”

To better understand the long-term employment needs of the industry, a recent study from IHS Global estimates that more than 950,000 job opportunities could be created by 2020 and nearly 1.3 million job opportunities through 2030 across the country in the oil and natural gas industry.

“In the next decade or so approximately half of the industry’s current technical personnel will retire,” said Gerard. “Replacing these jobs and filling anticipated new ones will be critical to maintaining our nation’s position as a global energy leader.”

The Veterans Energy Pipeline tool helps to identify which career opportunities are best suited for the applicant based on a job task analysis that compares job duties and tasks of military occupations to the potential energy job’s responsibilities, expected duties and desired skill sets.

It also provides an important forum where civilians can learn about the unique skills that service members and veterans bring to their jobs, such as reliability, attention to detail and the ability to handle pressure well.