Young Adipec ... aiming to highlight the wealth of career opportunities in the oil and gas industry

Adipec 2015 will host 320 students from 16 private and government schools, a 33 per cent increase in the number of students compared to last year

Homegrown talent is essential for the development of the UAE’s energy sector, and Young Adipec plays a valuable role towards that end by offering students from schools across Abu Dhabi an exciting line-up of events designed to encourage youth to choose a career path in the oil and gas industry.

New for 2015 is a dedicated Young Adipec Ambassador’s Programme. Each participating school will nominate a student ambassador who will represent Young Adipec among his or her classmates, friends, and family. The aim of this newly developed role is to raise awareness of the programme to fellow students and offer the community insight about the many opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, director of Strategy and Coordination at Adnoc and Adipec 2015 chairman, says: "Increasing the uptake of engineering as a career path among Emirati students is still a challenge for the local oil and gas industry, but Young Adipec is committed to overcoming this hurdle by working with the industry to inspire young nationals to be at the forefront of the energy sector that will have an impact worldwide."

According to the 2013/2014 UAE Higher Education Factbook, 17 per cent of Emirati students were enrolled in an engineering programme during that academic year. This figure falls to 13 per cent for female Emirati students, while for male students it stands at 24 per cent.

Aimed at high school students between the ages of 14 and 17, Young Adipec is designed to highlight the wealth and diversity of career opportunities in the energy sector. Over 400 students from across the UAE have passed through the programme since its inception in 2013, and the 2015 edition will host approximately 320 students from 16 private and government schools.

Students will have an exciting opportunity to get hands-on experience during trips to oil field sites, training centres, innovation centres, as well as workshop and manufacturing facilities belonging to leading oil and gas companies, including the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations Ltd, (Adco), Al Mansoori Specialized Engineering, Al Mazroui Engineering, Borouge, the National Drilling Company, The Petroleum Institute, Schlumberger, Total, and Weatherford.

"It is crucial for the future development of any country to have its nationals working across all fields and sectors of its economy," says Wael Agha, managing director of Al Mazroui Engineering. "Empowering today’s youth with the required expertise and skillset is the only sure-fire way they will succeed and thrive both personally and professionally in this knowledge-based economy."

Students will also be invited to participate in the Oil & Gas Identity Competition, sponsored by Total. This new competition will offer them an opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals needed for successful entry into the industry.

A host of other experiential activities taking place at the Young Adipec stand during the event will raise the bar for edutainment, with five Experience Zones designed to keep students engaged and informed.

The Oil & Gas Theatre Zone, a state-of-the-art 360-degree dome with digital laser projection, will serve as an incredible audio visual guide to the oil and gas industry. The five zones also include The Petroleum Institute Educational Zone, where students will be invited to carry out live experiments, a Video Wall, which will display filmed diaries from the school field trips, as well as dedicated walls showcasing the shortlisted entries for the Photo Competition and the Oil & Gas Identity Competition.