Experienced Human Capital Comes First

Q: What is CIDESI’s role in contributing to the development of SMEs in the oil and gas industry?

A: CONACYT has reorganized itself to integrate different oil and gas centers, creating a consortium specialized in offering services to SMEs in this industry. We are a leading engineering center and we have a big role to play in terms of knowledge development and training. Through this consortium, we will offer seminars and introductory talks to walk SMEs through the industry’s requirements. We also are in the process of creating micro clusters that will have the necessary funding and human capital to host oil and gas projects. This program is geared toward accelerating the learning processes for SMEs in an environment where they can apply the most convenient practices at lower costs because they will be part of a micro cluster that has a good pool of resources.

Q: What is the significance of talent development in Mexico and how is CIDESI contributing in this regard?

A: Talent is the fundamental component for any oil and gas company’s development. We are associated with the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad del Carmen (UNACAR) wherein we develop undergraduate and postgraduate programs together. I have also toured different cities in the country to stress the need to invest in young professionals and to push them to do practical work in their final years of university. We signed an agreement with PEMEX for a project called “Smart Fields,” which utilizes digitalized programing to work on overproduced fields with costeffective practices and minimal resources invested. This is a pilot project involving 25 fields and an investment of MX$35 million from PEMEX.

Q: How would you evaluate local human talent and what areas of opportunity are there for them?

A: Mexico generates more engineers than many developed nations. The capacities and the capital are here, but we need the tools to insert this pool of talent into the labor market. This is particularly hard for specialized institutions since there are around 10 in the entire country that effectively allocate Ph.Ds and Master’s degree holders. Our talent is internationally recognized for its quality and commitment to work but we need to provide them with the necessary possibilities for growth.