On the Lookout: Considering Future Offshore Talent at OE with Prof. Ibrahim Fahmy Abdelaty

Prof. Ibrahim Fahmy Abdelaty: SPE Offshore Europe offers a great opportunity to students, fresh graduates, and early career professionals in the offshore energy industry to register for free and attend the conference's multidisciplinary technical programme,  where experts from the leading companies, academia, and research centres share the latest innovation, research and development, case studies, and lessons learnt in the field of offshore, marine, and subsea engineering and technology in both sectors, oil & gas and offshore renewables. 

OE25 also provides a unique programme dedicated to students and young professionals, presented by leaders from the industry, consisting of five half-day workshops focusing on important areas such as improving writing CVs, preparing for interviews, mentoring opportunities, communication skills, and networking.

Prof. Ibrahim Fahmy Abdelaty: OE plays a pivotal and significant role as a game changer in the industry's perception amongst the young generation and future talents by feeding them with knowledge about current opportunities, government support for the energy sector, investment plans, trends, and the future outlook, which encourages them to select the right career and enhances the confidence in the energy industry as a sustainable and successful choice.

Prof. Ibrahim Fahmy Abdelaty: I'm looking forward to meeting industry leaders, experts, experienced engineers, and also the young generation interested in joining the energy industry. 

I will be glad to share knowledge and expertise from my work in the industry and academia and my involvement in the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Council, and professional engineering institutes, such as IMarEST, with my colleagues in industry leadership, engineers, and the young generation.

A pioneering event like SPE Offshore Europe is, as the famous saying goes, not built within a day. It takes detailed planning, alongside multiple experts in the offshore and energy sectors, to curate an exhibition that propels the industry and its people forward.

Professor Ibrahim Fahmy Abdelaty, for instance, an esteemed member of the OE Executive Committee, is an awarded professional by the Royal Academy of Engineering with 25 years of experience in offshore, marine, and subsea industries. Aside from his time in the academe, he has chaired multiple conferences and technical panels and served in various advisory and management roles in IEPC and Upstream Oil and Gas.

Central to this experience, as reflected in Prof. Abdelaty’s interview responses, are the people—stakeholders and talent in the sector.

This perception essentialises the need for consideration of the said demographic. It highlights the unequivocal and irreplaceable value that the offshore workforce brings to the table.

OE’s Executive Committee, playing a critical role in shaping the focus and trajectory of the event, puts a premium on the growth of present and future talent. They ensure that the exhibition provides stakeholders, on top of sharing contemporary innovations, with competitive skills and data that can be acquired through networking and conference programmes.

By ensuring that oil and gas professionals get a head start at OE25, changes no longer prove to be unsettling.

The next step of skills development and career growth becomes a natural progression. This benefits the industry with competent and confident talent, guaranteeing a bright and thriving future for oil and gas.