From its humble beginnings in the late 1970’s, the Australian oil and gas industry has been considered as one of the world’s top producers of gas. As a result of this, a current challenge for companies is to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce. Attracting workers to regional areas is a further challenge. Increased efforts to attract and retain women to this sector will assist the oil and
gas industry in addressing skill shortages. Resources and oil and gas in particular, lag other industries in employing skilled women. Research supports that close to 40,000 women work in the resource industry in Australia, however these numbers account mainly for women within the mining industry and the numbers of women employed in the oil and gas industry remain unclear. Identifying this breakdown will assist in gaining an understanding and formulating key strategies to address the key issues facing female workforce participation to thereby inform and develop strategies to increase opportunities for women. Women in Oil and Gas (WIOG) group was founded as a result of discussions among various industry representatives and academics with the group’s mandate to be proactive in facilitating the oil and gas industry to retain employees, network with industry experts and promote diversity. Women in Oil and Gas group looks forward to discussing the key initiatives and strategies for women working in the oil and gas industry in the areas of Workplace Culture, Career Paths, Training and Development, Communication, and Work and Life Balance. Women in Oil and Gas (WIOG) is a national organization founded by Veena Mendez in 2013 deeply focused on advancing the interests of women in Australia's oil and gas sector. WIOG maintains a diverse board membership of skilled and experienced men and women who are experts in their own fields within the oil and gas industry. Now with over 1380 members, WIOG is composed of active, passionate men and women who truly support the country's oil and gas industry and happen to represent various occupational positions and professions.
