Women Who Shine: Q&A with Sarah Roberts

If you look at the campaign, it provides a lot of human interests so it can relate to the general public. A lot of people have positive stories that can help spin a positive image of this impressive industry. Negative images of the industry are everywhere, and people constantly hear about the disasters – we need to do a better job at showing how safety is so important to this industry. The media has a hand in the face of this industry and I think we need to constantly put our best face forward to bring in people.

For example, Norway sets a wonderful example of how positive the industry can be. There are ads on television for oil companies, showing how connected we are to energy. My impression is that the country helps promote the industry in a positive way.

Another issue that needs to be addressed is we have to get our youth involved at an early age to help facilitate this goal of continuing to hire the best and brightest. It’s also important to remember that good engineering skills are transferable so we shouldn’t just focus on the youth alone but look to other industries, such as the automotive and nuclear industries or indeed the military. Everything we do and have in the modern world is connected to energy and I think a lot of people don't fully grasp that. So we have to get people interested to help understand how connected we all are to energy.

Rigzone: What advice would you give to other like-minded individuals looking to enter this industry?

Roberts: This is an exciting industry. It's challenging and rewarding – there are many facets to it and many opportunities to progress and grow. Give this industry a chance but first, do your due diligence and find out as much as you can about it. Think about where your skills lie, where you might fit within the industry and then reach out to the companies to gain experience. Have a plan and figure out what you need to get there. Most importantly, talk to people. Network and ask questions.

This is a male-dominated industry but gender is not a barrier to progress. Have confidence, work hard and move forward.