With the award of several large projects and a busy bidding pipeline, the EPC giant Petrofac is on a concerted recruitment drive. Oil & Gas Middle East spoke to Des Thurlby, Petrofac’s Group Director of Human Resources, about the type of roles involved, the qualities Petrofac is looking for in candidates, and the reasons why people should consider applying.
Oil & Gas Middle East: Can you tell us about the current recruitment drive at Petrofac and the key projects you are focusing on in the Middle East? Thurlby: After a period of retrenchment across the energy industry, we are back on a growth trajectory – gearing up to deliver and support a new generation of energy facilities.
Des Thurlby, Petrofac’s Group Director of Human Resources We execute most EPC projects from our Sharjah hub and, with bidding activity at record levels, we are hopeful of more upcoming awards. Meanwhile, in our Asset Solutions business, we continue to win new operations and maintenance awards across the MENA region.
As a consequence, we are busy recruiting. Right now, we have 272 open vacancies across our UAE offices, and I expect many more to follow.
Oil & Gas Middle East: In what ways does Petrofac support the professional development and growth of its employees? Are there any unique programs or initiatives in place? Thurlby: Through our own training business – Petrofac Training Services – we advise and provide training to many of the world’s most respected energy companies. So, as you would expect, we pride ourselves on the quantity and quality of our own in-house training.
That includes subject matter training, such as our Project Management Pathway and Petrofac Academy programs, which enable people to hone their skills. It also covers professional development through our Leadership Pathways program, which covers supervisory skills, financial management, and leadership. And an important part of my team’s mandate is to work on career paths and identify training needs.
Oil & Gas Middle East: What specific skill sets and qualifications are you looking for in candidates for these key projects? Thurlby: It is primarily engineers, and we are recruiting in all disciplines, including civil, electrical, piping, process, mechanical, instrumentation, and more. But we also have vacancies in several support functions, like supply chain and logistics, project controls, finance, IT, and HR.
We want people with demonstrable experience. But we also want these people to be as excited about the future as we are, who want to grow with us and share our client-centric, problem-solving ethos.
