Oil and gas industry professionals have raised concerns about employers paying lip service to training and development opportunities in a new survey.
Forty-four percent said their company did not regularly invest in their training and development, according to the fourth annual Global Energy Talent Index (Geti).
One in three respondents claimed not to have received any training in the past year.
Geti, published by recruiters Airswift and Energy Jobline, also indicated that 17% of women were placed on leadership programmes, compared to 22% of men.
In more positive news, 42% of oil and gas professionals claimed they had received a pay increase over the past year.
Renewables and petrochemicals remain the biggest sources of competition for talent, winning the votes of 43% and 32% of those open to switching sectors, respectively.
The survey took in the views of 21,000 energy professionals and hiring managers in 169 countries working across five industry sub-sectors: oil and gas, renewables, power, nuclear and petrochemicals.
Airswift chief executive Janette Marx said: “The oil and gas sector is blessed with a highly engaged workforce. The question is how to keep ambitious and motivated professionals engaged throughout their careers. Training and development opportunities are clearly a very important piece of the puzzle.
“However, I suspect that there is a perception issue at play in these results. Of course, there is room for improvement and companies should always look to improve the training on offer. But they should also work hard to communicate the opportunities that are already available to make sure employees are aware and able to make the most of them.”
Hannah Peet, managing director at Energy Jobline, says: “Competition for talent in the energy industry keeps getting tougher and tougher, with an already globally mobile workforce increasingly willing to switch to whichever sector presents the best opportunities.
“The oil and gas sector is well set up to succeed, with pay continuing to rise from a high base. However, it must guard against complacency by prioritising progression and providing a clear career path for all employees, regardless of seniority, location or gender.”