It’s not just about saving room for the next generation. It’s about the industry starting to listen to them, according to EY chairman Steve Varley.
The financial leader said the next generation should be a greater part of the solution rather than kept at arms’ length during the downturn.
“We have got a problem and we can frame it in such a way that we entice them to come up with a solution to that problem,” he said.
“We are then strengthened by them.
“I think they can help the industry reinvent itself.”
Varley was drawing on his own industry’s experience of overcoming the “bankers behaving badly” era.
EY shifted its perspective, asking its newest recruits how the sector should forge ahead.
“The workforce of today and the talent of tomorrow doesn’t look life the person you saw in the mirror this morning,” Varley told the room of seasoned professionals.
Varley was speaking at Offshore Europe alongside fellow Alec Carstairs.
Carstairs said: “It’s very easy to say that our people are our greatest asset when business is growing.
“It’s harder to make decisions about our people when we need to cut our costs.”
Today Oil and Gas UK revealed the industry has cut 65,000 jobs since 2014.
But both men insisted the way forward was to look industry’s newest recruits and sector hopefuls.
“The next generation can help us change our fundamentals,” Varley added.
“It’s about telling them what they don’t know but asking them how can you help us.”
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