Energy sector needs fresh grads willing to go global, work beyond office: Seatrium chief

Young talent wanted to drive transition from fossil fuels to renewables, he says

- Sue-Ann Tan

Fresh graduates in Singapore may be struggling to find jobs in a cautious economy, but demand is growing for them to help drive the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy while ensuring current power needs are met.

Singapore-listed Seatrium is actively seeking young talent as the industry grows more global and technologically demanding. But instead of specific skills or qualifications, the offshore engineering firm is looking for young people open to working across borders and ready to take on unconventional projects outside the office, from hauling modules for wind farms from Batam to Singapore for assembly, to transporting platforms to the North Sea to power homes in Europe.

That was the point Seatrium chief executive Chris Ong was keen to make when he spoke to The Straits Times recently.

During the exclusive interview, Mr Ong stressed that fresh graduates are needed to drive the energy transition, now a growing need not just in Singapore but globally. "It's not a Singaporean company that you will see across the table. You'll be sitting across major (energy) multinationals like Exxon, Shell, Petrobras and TenneT," he said.

"We're training global citizens who have a passion to execute projects around the world."

He added: "It is a very exciting time to be in this industry with the energy transition. You are not just dealing with oil and gas, you will be involved in pushing the boundaries of energy transition."

He also noted that the maritime industry in Singapore is very buoyant and future generations have the opportunity to make a real difference.