Aberdeen students rank among the top in the UK according to recent results of an innovative attraction scheme by leading energy and petrochemicals giant Shell.
Shell is continuing to support the University of Aberdeen in a number of ways, to ensure the institution remains a leading player in its work with the oil industry.
The University of Aberdeen and the Robert Gordon University have been the subject of joint attention from the company as part of the European Shell Campus Ambassador Scheme, which has been running since 2001.
Shell’s attraction effort is being supported by more than 20 Campus Ambassador teams in Europe, co-ordinated by Shell’s Graduate Attraction & Recruitment Division. There are eight campus ambassador teams in the UK, and one of these focuses attention on the University of Aberdeen and RGU jointly.
The efforts of the Aberdeen and RGU team, led by Shell’s European Exploration & Production’s Technical Director, Kieron McFadyen were recognised by the Group’s Attraction and Recruitment leaders for their efforts over the last 12 months and their contribution to raising the visibility of Shell as an employer at the two universities, significantly increasing application numbers and bringing talented graduates into the organisation.
As part of the scheme, the team participated in various activities including organising a joint university academics’ dinner at Woodbank (Shell Training Facility); providing coaching in interview and application techniques for final year and post grad students; and participating in social events, including pizza and beer or cheese and wine information evenings for staff and students.
In addition, the team has provided sponsorship, which included the annual Student Charities’ Ball, and supporting the University of Aberdeen’s Ski and Snowboarding Club at the British Universities’ championships. Geoscience students have visited the Tullos Virtual Reality Centre where attendees benefit from 3D technology providing the opportunity to, among other things, travel inside a virtual reservoir. In addition, Engineering students have had the opportunity to tour the Mossmoran gas terminal.
Shell’s team of UK Campus Ambassadors consists of some 60 staff, working in various parts of Shell’s business, who dedicate a portion of their time to strengthening Shell’s relations within UK universities.
As such, they become involved in ‘traditional’ careers’ events, for example, milkround presentations, but they also give or arrange technical and non-technical presentations, run business games as part of particular syllabuses, and provide sponsorship or prizes for some key student events.
Senior Shell Geologist / Petroleum Engineer and Campus Ambassador, Iain Percival (a graduate from Aberdeen in 1973), is delighted at the continuing links between Shell and the University and the opportunity to share with students and academic staff in Aberdeen the experience of a rewarding and satisfying career in the industry with Shell. He is particularly pleased at the University and RGU’s team being recognised by the attraction and recruitment leadership within Shell. Since being a Campus Ambassador since 2001, he has seen an improvement within the two universities and is pleased that they have a stronger position in recruiting talent into the organisation.
He said: “I firmly believe this has a lot to do with the collaborative links that Shell has built within universities, such as those firmly established with the University of Aberdeen and the Robert Gordon University.
“I am delighted to be involved in the European Shell Campus Ambassador team as this is a great way for me to put something back in to the University of Aberdeen, being a graduate of such a prestigious and ancient institution. This year, to compete with other UK universities in terms of the number of graduates Shell is recruiting, is very rewarding and clearly demonstrates that the Aberdeen tertiary education product is well and truly on the Shell map.”
In addition to the European Shell Campus Ambassador scheme, the University is committed to promoting the Shell Personal Development Award. This is a monetary sum offered to undergraduates in support of their plans to stretch themselves, extend their limits and achieve new goals in pursuit of self-development and therefore, does not have to link directly to current areas of a student’s study. Every year Shell provides funding to help a number of eligible students with their plans for experiences that will contribute to their personal development, for example, planning an expedition, volunteering on a community project, developing an existing talent or learning a new skill, etc.
Iain Percival added: “If a student is successful in receiving a Shell Personal Development Award, it will be with ‘no strings attached’. They will in no way whatsoever be obliged to join Shell. The only thing we ask is that they come back to tell us what they did with the money.
“However, having experienced this kind of interest in and support to personal development, many recipients of the Shell Personal Development Award do choose to take their interest in Shell further by going on to do an Internship, or attend the Shell Gourami Business Challenge, or even for full-time employment.”
Within the UK, the award is open to non-final year students of any discipline and there are approximately 50 awards of £500 available. The University of Aberdeen is committed to match funding each Shell Personal Development Award, thereby doubling the size of Shell’s award.
Professor Dominic Houlihan, Vice Principal, Research and Commercialisation, at the University, is delighted at the collaborative links between the institution and Shell UK and has been instrumental in progressing with the Shell Personal Development Award. He said: “I am very pleased at the continuing links being developed between the University of Aberdeen and Shell. I have been involved in driving forward the Shell Personal Development Award which is available to non-final year students. The University has agreed to match the £500 being offered to students by Shell. The University is committed to supporting our students through this scheme and I expect with what’s on offer (£1,000), that the University will see an increase in the number of applications. “
Shell is also supporting the University by sponsoring two Petroleum Geology MSc students at a cost of £15k per student per annum, and a PhD student at a cost of £13k per annum for 3 years.