Employment / Links with Industry
Employment Prospects
The oil industry is the largest employer of Earth Science graduates, with good employment prospects in the United Kingdom and overseas in oil companies, consultancies, service companies, government bodies, the financial sector, and in teaching and research. During the research project students normally have the opportunity to work within sponsor oil company offices, gaining valuable industrial experience. The MSc course has a very strong track record for employability.
In semester 1, we typically get all majors visiting the School to promote their companies and seek applications (typically Shell, ConocoPhillips, BP, Hess, Talsiman, Statoil, Neftex, Fugro etc). Some also interview in the University. This is in addition to the University career fairs and other employment events.
Links with industry
Petroleum Geoscience and Engineering at the University of Manchester has well-established links with the oil industry. Research is funded by a large number of international oil companies. Guest speakers are invited on a regular basis to the department. There is also an AAPG Student Chapter, PESGB Student Chapter SPE Chapter and EAGE Chapter, which arrange meetings throughout the year.
Many of the academic staff that teach on the course have considerable oil industry experience or consult for the oil industry. In addition the teaching team has a very strong group of external lecturers, who are all active consultants or employees in the oil industry, and who bring considerable expertise and industrial links. One full week is taught by senior staff from BP, incorporating their graduate training programme into the existing Fundamentals of Exploration and Production course. Shell teach the “oil game” which offers an insight into the industry.
During the Independent Projects, research projects are undertaken on data supplied by the oil industry, and many students have the opportunity to undertake the research based ion an oil company office. In recent years these have included Encana, BG Group, Shell, Statoil, BP, Esso Uk, Maersk, Centrica, Hess, Anadarko, Robertson Research.
The University of Manchester is one of only four Universities in the UK supported by Schlumberger as part of their academic sponsorship programme. This involves access to all the latest software, plus regular visits by students to their research centres and contact with their staff. A number of internships may also be available from year to year. Other companies that generously supply data or assist in training include: Terrasciences, Paradigm Voxel Geo, Roxar, Logicom (REP Software), Kingdom Suite.
A number of companies also offer Prizes awarded to students every year in the department. In 2004 these include the ChevronTexaco Best Student Prize, the PESGB Best Student Presentation, The London Petrophysical Society Award.