Fewer students worldwide interested in oil industry

Young people aren't finding work on oil rigs very attractive anymore. New concerns are being voiced over the lack of students opting to prepare for careers in the oil industry. Staff shortages may lead to corresponding cutbacks in the amount of oil pumped out of Norwegian fields.
The worker shortage isn't just affecting the Norwegian industry. Fewer students worldwide are interested in the oil industry, shying away from fields of study that would qualify them for research, oil exploration or other facets of the business.

Rolf Wiborg of Norway's Oil Directorate told that North Sea activity is seeing a general greying of the workforce. He notes that oil companies themselves have cut staffing over the past 10-15 years, and the strategy now appears to be backfiring.
At the same time, young people in Norway have constantly had the message drummed into them that the country's North Sea fields are in danger of drying up over the next few decades. That has led many to believe that the industry'sfuture isn't very bright, prompting them to choose other careers. Wiborg says a shortage of skilled oil workers can result in a revenue loss of as much of NOK 500 bn.