Young Professionals: The Power of Networking

The 2011 Gas Processor’s Association Convention was my first major conference to attend since graduating from college. I was very pleased with the balance of the technical paper sessions in presenting new solutions to existing problems as well as alternative processing methods that are in the developmental stages of production. Presentations were also given which addressed challenges within our industry.  Topics discussed during these sessions ranged from environmental regulations to ideas on how to best develop a need for natural gas liquids without saturating the market.

The first session that I attended was exclusively for current industry young professionals, and was by far the most influential presentation of the conference. Tim Dove, the President and COO of Pioneer Natural Resources, offered a very powerful and motivating presentation full of excellent advice for young professionals. The beginning of the presentation focused primarily on the history of the natural gas industry and the long term impact resulting from the economic disturbances of the late 1980s and mid 1990s. The mentality at the time was to cut production and eliminate “excess” personnel in order to stay afloat during hard economic times. As a result, there is a major gap in the technical expertise of engineers in the 25-40 year old age group with respect to the natural gas industry. This not only leaves a gap of knowledge, but also eliminated a generation of managers.

Thinking optimistically, this problem facing the industry is a great opportunity for all young engineers travelling down the natural gas processing path. Being new to the industry myself, I have experienced the challenges of conquering such a steep learning curve. Tim was adamant that the only way to quickly learn such a complex and dynamic industry was to network and feel comfortable asking questions to as many people as possible. He mentioned that we as young professionals should not shy away from asking “remedial” questions, or from seeking the advice of senior experts throughout the industry. Although at times it may be intimidating to introduce ourselves to seasoned professionals, we were advised that it is flattering to be seen as a role model in the industry, and most are more than honored to share their knowledge.

It is obvious, that our generation of engineers is heavily reliant on technology and love to challenge how fast business can get accomplished. In this day and age, emails, text messages, and tweets allow us to communicate impersonally with the click of a button. Tim proposed the challenge to us as young professionals to take the time and personally visit customers and vendors to build relationships and network. He explained that a major challenge we will face by the time that our generation has been promoted to management levels, is that the employees that we manage will be much more proficient with the latest technological innovations. It is important that we promote personal relationships in the work place and ensure that we remember the basic principles that the industry was founded on.

The one quote that stuck with me from this presentation is that “there is a fine line between ambitious and under prepared.” Coming from the chemical industry and working primarily in production facilities, I am keenly aware of the stereotypes that most people have towards young engineers. Whether it be that “this ‘hot shot’ engineer is wanting to change the way we do things,” or that “he doesn’t understand, I have been out here for 20 years,” it is difficult to feel as if we are making an impact. I feel that anyone would be hard pressed to argue this point, and the validity of the statement cannot be underestimated. I have been around a lot of engineers classified as “young professionals,” and it does seem that their primary focus is getting to where they “think” they should be in the next 5, 10, 20 years. Once again, we were offered great advice to take things one day at a time. Where young engineers get into trouble is when they over extend their limits and are not mentally or physically prepared to tackle a certain task. This is where the fine line comes into play, because in order to develop, we have to keep pushing our limits. That being said, there are ways to go about handling these situations responsibly.

This tied back into the networking theme of allowing ourselves to reach out beyond the people we work with and find mentors in the industry who may not work for the same company. Tim concluded his presentation by challenging us to use events like the GPA Convention to seek out mentors and role models and to continue to network in our daily activities. There are several experts in our industry, and the wealth of knowledge that they have gained over the years cannot be lost.

After Tim’s presentation, he was joined by Rob Martinovich (Sr. V.P., Treasurer, and CFO of ONEOK), Ryan Spangler (Regional Manager of Burns & McDonnell), and our very own John Thompson (V.P. of Engineering for Zephyr Gas) for a panel discussion. This was a great opportunity to gain perspectives from a variety of fields within the natural gas industry. Topics for discussion ranged from the importance of an M.B.A. versus professional engineering license to the direction that the panel felt the industry was moving. It was an invaluable experience to have the opportunity to ask the questions that are important to us as young professionals to these veterans of the industry.

I felt that the GPA Convention was a great opportunity for me to exercise the lessons learned from all of the speakers of the Young Professional Seminar. The key points to having a successful and rewarding career will stay with me long beyond the conference as will the relationships that I have forged. It is our responsibility as young professionals to continue to grow the industry and I believe that with continued guidance and mentorship, the natural gas industry will continue to thrive.

SOURCE: Jason Galvan, Process Engineer