Your article entitled, "Oil and gas industry continues to grapple with technical personnel shortage," (OGJ, Sept. 24, 2001, p. 22) reinforces the obvious fact that industry continues to disregard the hundreds, if not thousands, of qualified mid-career technical personnel who are unemployed or underemployed.
The industry looks mostly to the universities for qualified personnel, while ignoring professionals with years of experience that could easily "fit right in" and be almost immediately productive to the company. While I agree that looking to universities is important, an experienced workforce cannot continue to be ignored while staffing professionals complain of an alleged shortage.
You see, I too was underemployed, so I went to Colorado School of Mines to get a masters degree in petroleum engineering with a 3.6 GPA, and was completely ignored by oil company recruiters. Now I am unemployed, although I have applied to dozens of companies. They tell me there are no available positions, while out of the other side of their mouth they desperately search for qualified professionals. You tell me why. I am over forty with a lot of experience, and it is as if I am a nonperson.
Bryant M. Mook
Casper, Wyo.
