According to Drilling Contractor, a petroleum engineering student shared her experience navigating internships and early career challenges in the drilling industry at the IADC/SPE International Drilling Conference in Galveston, Texas, on March 18.
New Talent Coming In With Realistic Expectations
Hallie Delcambre, a student at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL) and Vice President of the IADC Student Chapter there, spoke at the conference’s Diversity and Inclusion Session about what drew her to the industry and why she believes oil and gas still offers a viable long-term career path. Her comments reflect a broader reality for new graduates: entering the field requires flexibility, a willingness to relocate, and the ability to adapt as market conditions shift.
The IADC/SPE International Drilling Conference ran March 17-19 in Galveston, drawing drilling contractors, service companies, and industry stakeholders from across the sector.
What It Means for Subcontractors
Service companies and subcontractors competing for entry-level and intern talent should take note of what candidates like Delcambre represent.
- Students entering oil and gas today are self-aware about industry volatility and are actively preparing for it, making them potentially lower-risk hires for cyclical field service roles in drilling, completions, and wireline.
- Subcontractors in wellsite services, directional drilling, and mud logging that offer structured internship programs have a real recruiting edge over those that don’t, particularly when competing against larger operators for the same graduates.
- Engineering programs at schools like ULL with active IADC student chapters produce candidates already familiar with industry standards, reducing onboarding time for technical service roles.
- Companies operating in the Permian, Gulf Coast, and offshore Gulf of Mexico should build relationships with regional university chapters now, before hiring demand spikes in the next upcycle.
